Five athletes – three men and two women – topped the standings at the end of the 2022-2023 World Athletics Cross Country Tour, which concluded last weekend in Albufeira.
Eritrea’s Rahel Daniel and Kenya’s Lucy Mawia are joint leaders in the women’s contest, while France’s Yann Schrub and Burundian duo Thierry Ndikumwenayo and Rodrigue Kwizera tied for the lead in the men’s standings.
All five athletes achieved a perfect score of 3720 – the maximum possible in the Cross Country Tour. Athletes are awarded points based on their position in each race in the Cross Country Tour, and each athlete’s three best marks from the series contribute towards their ranking in the overall standings.
Prize money is awarded to the top six finishers in the series. In case of a tie – as is the case this season – the prize money for the top three (men) and two (women) positions will be combined and divided accordingly. It means Daniel and Mawia will each receive $9000, while Schrub, Ndikumwenayo and Kwizera will each receive $8000.
Daniel had three outings on the tour and was victorious on each occasion, winning at Campaccio in January and in Elgoibar just two days later. She then faced difficult snowy conditions in Hannut later that month, but once again emerged the winner.
Mawia, meanwhile, dominated the races at the start of the tour, winning in Bydgoszcz in October and in Soria and Alcobendas in November. She was also third in Atapuerca in November and second in San Vittore Olona earlier this year.
Schrub’s first appearance on the tour came at the end of January when he won in Hannut. He showed that was no fluke as he went on to win in Calzadilla and Albufeira in February.
Ndikumwenayo was also unbeaten in this year’s tour, notching up victories in Soria, Atapuerca and Seville in the space of two weeks in November.
Kwizera, meanwhile, made six appearances in the series and was triumphant on four occasions, winning in Amorebieta in October, Alcobendas in November, Venta de Banos in December and at Campaccio in January.
Final standings
Women
1 Rahel Daniel (ERI) 3720
1 Lucy Mawia (KEN) 3720
3 Isabel Barreiro (ESP) 3620
4 Laura Luengo (ESP) 3580
5 Purity Chepkirui (KEN) 3570
6 Francine Niyomukunzi (BDI) 3560
Full standings
Men
1 Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI) 3720
1 Thierry Ndikumwenayo (BDI) 3720
1 Yann Schrub (FRA) 3720
4 Levy Kibet (KEN) 3660
5 Birhanu Balew (BRN) 3660
6 Joel Ayeko (UGA) 3570
Full standings