SEVILLE, Spain — Likina Amebaw of Ethiopia and Burundi-born Rodrigue Kwizera earned determined victories on Sunday (8) at the 2026 Cross Internacional de Itálica, a premier World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold event in Santiponce on the outskirts of the Spanish city of Seville.

Pre-race favorite Amebaw surged clear on the final lap to win the women’s 9.5-kilometer race in 30 minutes, 40 seconds. The victory marked her sixth cross-country win of the 2026 season. –

The women’s race opened at a brisk pace, with a lead pack of about seven clearing the first lap between 8:00 and 8:01. However, the group soon splintered into three real contenders, with Amebaw, Uganda’s Charity Cherop, and Kenya’s Cynthia Chepkirui trading blows.

But as expected, Amebaw, the reigning World Athletics Road Running Championships 5K champion, broke clear in the closing meters to claim an eight-second victory over a fast-finishing Cherop, who copped second place in 30:48. Chepkirui crossed third in 30:56 to complete the podium. Carolina Robles Campos was the top Spanish finisher in eighth place with a time of 32:50.

Rodrigue Kwizera Wins Close Men’s Race

In the men’s race, it was much closer, but Rodrigue Kwizera managed to successfully defend his crown, clocking 27:36 to capture his third career victory in Seville and join Ethiopian distance legend Kenenisa Bekele as a three-time winner of the event. With Sunday’s win, the 26-year-old Kwizera has now won eight of his 10 starts during the 2026 circuit.

Kenya’s Charles Kiboino mounted a spirited late charge before the final straightaway, but Kwizera responded to secure the victory by one second. Kiboino took an impressive second place in 27:37, while 19-year-old Kenyan Frankline Kibet placed third in 27:38 during his senior international cross-country debut. Defending European cross-country champion Thierry Ndikumwenayo of Spain finished fifth in 27:58 in his season opener.

Re-watch The Race

Watch European Athletics race highlights of the Cross Internacional de Itálica 2026 to experience the decisive final laps of the elite cross-country action.

Missed It? – Cross Internacional de Itálica Official Highlights – The official promotional preview from the organizers captures the prestige and competitive spirit of the XLIV Cross Internacional de Itálica.

Official Race Results

Men’s Top 25 Senior Elite Results

1. Rodrigue Kwizera (Burundi) – 27:36
2. Charles Kiboino Kiprono (Kenya) – 27:37
3. Frankline Kibet (Kenya) – 27:38
4. Denis Kipkoech Kemboi Kipkemoi (Kenya) – 27:51
5. Thierry Ndikumwenayo (Spain) – 27:58
6. Miguel Ángel Martínez Chazarra (Spain) – 27:59
7. Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi (Kenya) – 28:16
8. Dismas Yeko (Uganda) – 28:23
9. Berihu Aregawi (Ethiopia) – 28:23
10. Samuel Simba Cherop (Uganda) – 28:41
11. Ibrahim Buras (Norway) – 28:41
12. Simon Sundström (Sweden) – 28:46
13. Luca Alfieri (Italy) – 28:47
14. Juan Antonio Pérez Moreno (Spain) – 28:51
15. Duarte Santos (Portugal) – 28:52
16. Zakaria Boufaljat Es Seddyq (Spain) – 28:54
17. Brahim El Ourzadi (Spain) – 28:59
18. Jaime Migallón Estrigana (Spain) – 29:03
19. Ciro Martín Sotos (Spain) – 29:03
20. Víctor Ruiz Orden (Spain) – 29:05
21. Nicolò Bedini (Italy) – 29:12
22. Fernando Carro Morillo (Spain) – 29:13
23. Mads Orø Olsen (Norway) – 29:14
24. Adisu Wegene (Ethiopia) – 29:17
25. Mario Priego Montero (Spain) – 29:32

Women’s Top 25 Senior Elite Results

1. Likina Amebaw (Ethiopia) – 30:40
2. Charity Cherop (Uganda) – 30:48
3. Cynthia Chepkirui (Kenya) – 30:56
4. Yenenesh Shimket (Ethiopia) – 31:23
5. Maurine Jepkoech Chebor (Kenya) – 32:01
6. Francine Niyomukunzi (Burundi) – 32:05
7. Amina Maatoug (Netherlands) – 32:17
8. Carolina Robles Campos (Spain) – 32:50
9. María Forero Pérez (Spain) – 33:15
10. Elena Burkard (Germany) – 33:20
11. Marta Serrano Azpiazu (Spain) – 33:25
12. Lotte Meyberg (Germany) – 33:29
13. Alice Finot (France) – 33:35
14. Ángela Viciosa Villa (Spain) – 33:36
15. Carla Gallardo Puertas (Spain) – 34:01
16. Stella Chebet (Uganda) – 34:06
17. María Barber Vigil (Spain) – 34:23
18. Ana Marinho (Portugal) – 34:25
19. Laura Priego Montero (Spain) – 34:44
20. Laura Nicholson (Ireland) – 34:45
21. Candela Blázquez Lorenzo (Spain) – 35:20
22. Beatriz Álvarez Díaz (Spain) – 35:57
23. Claudia Corral Hodar (Spain) – 36:11
24. Andrea Buenavida Cotrina (Spain) – 36:13
25. Nora Zubillaga Unsanin (Spain) – 36:31

Full race results here