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Alemayo leads Ethiopian sweep of U20 women’s medals

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by Clay Shaw
With Photos by Clay Shaw and Karen Mitchell

3.30.2024 Belgrade, Serbia, World Cross Country Championships—Marta Alemayo is fifteen; she ran like a seasoned vet as she took the lead halfway through the 6k and would not relinquish it.  Alemayo won in 19:28 and her teammates followed her onto the podium.

Asayech Ayichew was second in 19:32. Robe Dida was third in 19:38. The Ethiopian team won the team title with Yenawa Nbret finishing sixth in 19:50.  Non-team-scoring Ethiopians Lemlem Nibret and Shito Gumi were eighth and ninth overall.

Kenya finished second to Ethiopia in the team medal chase.  Sheila Jibet was fourth in 19:45 and Diana Cherotich was fifth in 19:47.  Uganda took team third with all four runners between tenth and fourteenth.

Ellie Shea of the USA led the rest of the world in 15th place in 20:50. Teammate Allie Zealand was behind her in 16th with a 21:08. The USA team was fourth (they placed third in Bathurst in 2023).  Mary Dalton was 28th in 21:40, Zariel Macchia was 29th in 21:42 to score for the USA.  The USA edged Great Britain by just two points as Innes Fitzgerald was 17th in 21:10 and Jess Bailey 18th in 21:12.  Eliza Nicholson was 25th in 21:27 and Natasha Phillips was 30th in 21:42. 

80 athletes finished the 6,000 meter cross-country race at Friendship Park in Belgrade.  The temperature was already a warm 82 degrees by the end of the race.

Winner Marta Alemayo, ETH “We were well prepared for this race. We have great coaches, who give us a lot of support. Yes, I was expecting to do well and I am not surprised with the win. The win is not important only in itself, but it will also help set up the rest of my career. I was prepared to jump over the obstacles here, not run run around them.”

2nd place Asayech Ayichew, ETH “We trained for this race and for the obstacles, but I prefer to run around them, not jump, just to save energy. I did not expect such a high placing on the podium. Ethiopia had a medal sweep here and it is a historical moment for us. I hope this success will help me in my future career.”

34th place Saima Muric, Serbia “I’m very pleased with my result; there were woman athletes competing from all over the world. I finished in the first ten or fifteen for woman athletes from Europe if I’m not wrong. It was very warm for me, so it was harder to compete in these conditions, but overall I’m very pleased with how everything went. I want to thank my coach for everything he has done for me. I’m currently prepping for World championship in Peru and I hope that everything goes well with that!

Top Finishers

  1. 19:28 Marta Alemayo, Ethiopia
  2. 19:32 Asayech Ayichew, Ethiopia
  3. 19:38 Robe Dida, Ethiopia
  4. 19:45 Sheila Jebet, Kenya
  5. 19:47 Diana Cherotich, Kenya
  6. 19:50 Yenawa Nbret, Ethiopia
  7. 19:51 Deborah Chemutai, Kenya
  8. 20:01 Lemlem Nibret, Ethiopia
  9. 20:02 Shito Gumi, Ethiopia
  10. 20:04 Nowel Cheruto, Uganda
  11. 20:23 Charity Cherop, Uganda
  12. 20:43 Mercy Chepkemoi, Kenya
  13. 20:47 Keziah Chebet, Uganda
  14. 20:49 Vicky Chekwemboi, Uganda
  15. 20:50 Ellie Shea, USA
  16. 21:08 Allie Zealand, USA
  17. 21:10 Innes Fitzgerald, Great Britain
  18. 21:12 Jess Bailey, Great Britain
  19. 21:12 Miyu Marakami, Japan
  20. 21:19 Misaki Shitamori, Japan
  21. 21:19 Gabrielle Schmidt, Australia
  22. 21:19 Margot Dajoux, France
  23. 21:19 Ambre Grasset, France
  24. 21:20 Elsa Sundqvist, Sweden
  25. 21:27 Eliza Nicholson, Great Britain
  26. 21:32 Chiseno Ikeda, Japan
  27. 21:40 Isella Chebet, Uganda
  28. 21:40 Mary Dalton, USA
  29. 21:42 Zariel Macchia, USA
  30. 21:42 Natasha Phillips, Great Britain
Five of the six USA runners at the start line of the Under 20 women’s race.
Marta Alemayo of Ethiopia celebrates win in the U20 women’s race in Belgrade.
Marta Alemayo, 15, of Ethiopia celebrates after her overall win and team title in the Under 20 women’s race.
Marta Alemayo (fourth from left) leads all six Ethiopian runners as well as several runners from Kenya and Uganda.
Early in the U20 Women’s race Marta Alemayo is already leading the pack of the leaders. Zariel Macchia of USA is on the far right.
Ellie Shea of the USA runs with the lead pack as Deborah Chemutai of Kenya leads. Marta Alemayo of Ethiopia stays near the front.
Maddie Gardiner of USA holds her own at mid-pack.
Ready to charge on the bell lap are the five Ethiopians led by race winner Marta Alemayo.
Ellie Shea of the USA is 15th with a fantastic race to lead Team USA to fourth.
Ellie Shea of the USA was 15th in 20:50 and first of the non-Rift Valley runners.
Allie Zealand of the USA finishes 16th, just behind teammate Ellie Shea. The pair led Team USA to fourth place.
Gabrielle Schmidt of Australia and Allie Zealand of the USA had solid races. Zealand was 16th and Schmidt was 21st.
Ellie Shea of USA leads Eliza Nicholson of GBR, Gabrielle Schmidt of Australia, and teammate Allie Zealand. RG photog Karen Mitchell at work on right.
Innes Fitzgerald of Great Britain, the 2023 Euro XC U20 champ, places 17th in 21:10. Fitzgerald was top European runner at World XC Belgrade 24.
Misaki Shitamori and Miyu Murkakami of Japan pace each other to 19th and 20th place. Japan was sixth in the team standings.
Elsa Sundqvist of Sweden was 24th in 21:20 and fifth runner from Europe. Isella Chebet of Uganda was 27th in 21:40.
Mary Dalton of USA was 28th in 21:40 and Zariel Macchia was 29th in 21:42, as USA placed 4th in the team race. Natasha Phillips of GBR was 30th and Saima Muric of Serbia was 34th.
Saima Muric of Serbia, with a solid run in the U20 women’s race, was 34th in 21:48.
Jolena Quarzo of USA placed 41st in 22:13.
Maddie Gardiner of USA finished 49th, just ahead of Omaatla Diko of South Africa who was 50th. Saida El-Bouzy of Morocco was 51st.
Gretta Johnson of Australia was 53rd. Jolena Quarzo of USA was 41st.
Ayana Bolatbekkyzy of Kazakhstan was 80th and the final runner to finish the U20 women’s race. Three athletes did not finish.
GBR athletes Jess Bailey and Eliza Nicholson pose with Team Canada after the U20 race.
Team Australia in the U20 women’s race placed seventh among teams. Australia hosted the 2023 World XC in Bathurst, Australia.
The team from host country Serbia was led by Saima Muric (right) who finished 34th and eighth runner from Europe.
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