Portugal’s Mariana Machado begins her campaign towards the Lagoa 2025 SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Sunday’s (19) Cross Internacional Zornotza in Amorebieta, Spain - the first Gold-level event of this season’s World Athletics Cross Country Tour.
Machado, the 2019 European U20 3000m silver medallist, has had a breakthrough year on the track, clocking 14:53.91 for 5000m. She is also a bronze medallist in the U20 race and U23 race at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships, and she placed fifth in the senior race in Antalya 2025.
Amorebieta will mark her first foray into cross country this season with one eye on a home championships in Lagoa 2025 on 14 December.
Also entered is Spain's Majida Maayouf, silver medallist in the marathon at the European Running Championships in April - returns to Amorebieta after finishing runner-up last year.
Spain’s Angela Viciosa, fourth in the U23 race at the 2023 SPAR European Cross Country Championships is also in the line up.
They will face Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw, based in Spain, who returns as the clear favourite. The defending champion has enjoyed a stellar 2025 season, posting personal bests from 1500m to the half marathon, including a 1:04:44 win in Copenhagen and a 29:55 10km in Casablanca.
In the men’s race, Spain’s Yahya Aouina and Nassim Hassaous will take on a strong Burundian team led by Italy-based Elie Sindayikengdera and Emilie Hafashimana, both close to the 13-minute mark for 5000m. Hafashimana recently beat Sindayikengdera over 10 miles in Amsterdam.