European bronze medallist Thierry Ndikumwenayo will make his second appearance of the cross country season at the Cross Internacional de Itálica in Santiponce, Spain, on Sunday (9).
The World Cross Country Tour Gold meeting marks the Spanish athlete’s build-up to the Lagoa 2025 SPAR European Cross Country Championships on 14 December. Ndikumwenayo won bronze in Antalya last December and has also twice finished ninth at the World Cross Country Championships.
He was second last week (2) at the Cross Ciutat de Castellon behind training partner and former Burundi international teammate Rodrigue Kwizera.
The 28-year-old, who placed third overall in last season’s World Cross Country Tour, headlines a world-class men’s field that also includes Kwizera, the reigning Tour champion, his Burundi international teammate Emile Hishamimana, and Kenya’s Robert Kiprop Koech.
Spain’s Olympic and world 800m fifth-place finisher and European silver medallist Mohamed Attaoui will make a rare appearance off the track.
Machado looking to maintain momentum to Lagoa
In the women’s race, Mariana Machado, one of host nation Portugal’s medal hopes for Lagoa 2025, will be looking to maintain her strong early-season form. She was runner-up at the 71º Cross Internacional Zornotza, the opening Gold meeting of the year, in October.
Bahrain’s Olympic steeplechase champion Winfred Yavi headlines the women’s line-up, while home hopes will rest on national champion Carolina Robles.