Kenya’s hopes for a historic three-peat at the World Cross Country Championships have suffered a major blow. Double Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet, who stunned the world with titles in Bathurst (2023) and Belgrade (2024), will not defend her crown when the 46th edition takes place on January 10, 2026, in Tallahassee, Florida. Because her name was missing from the final team roster, ending any chance of a hat-trick for the 25-year-old star.

Chebet had initially been named as a reserve for the Kenyan squad. However, her absence follows her decision to skip the Kenyan national cross-country championships and trials in Eldoret on October 25, 2025.  And as we know, without competing in the trials, she wouldn’t be able to make the official team for the Championships.

Had she competed, the Olympic champion Chebet would have been competing to make history by becoming the third woman, after the American Lynn Jennings (1990-1992) and the Norwegian Grete Waitz (1978-1981), to win three senior World Cross Country titles in a row. But now, as she is out, Kenya misses one of the best and most experienced runners it has ever produced. So, who will take her place?

Now, the spotlight falls on Agnes Ngetich, world 10,000m record-holder and 2023 World Cross Country bronze medalist, to lead the women’s squad. She will be joined by Maurine Chebor, Brenda Jepchumba Kenei, Joyciline Chepkemoi, Rebecca Mwangi, and Caren Chebet.

On the men’s side, world half-marathon silver medalist Daniel Ebenyo will lead the senior team alongside Kevin Chesang, Denis Kipkoech Kipkemoi, Robert Koech, Shadrack Koech and Weldon Langat as Kenya seeks to hold on to the mantle of perfection. But the question is: why did Olympics Champion Beatrice Chebet not show up for the national trials?

The real reason behind Olympics Champion Beatrice Chebet missing the trials

After winning double gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Beatrice Chebet carried her momentum straight into 2025. She started the year strong and continued to impress on the world stage.

In July 2025, Olympics Champion Chebet made history at the Prefontaine Classic, becoming the first woman to finish the 12 and a half lap race under 14 minutes. She ran 13:58.06, just a year after setting a world record in the 10,000m on the same track. “I’m so happy to become the first woman to run under 14 minutes. After Rome I knew I could do it,” she said.

Then, in September, at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, she again won gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m. But in October 2025, she made headlines for a different reason: Chebet opted out of the Kenyan National Cross Country Championships at the Eldoret Sports Club (this race served as the trials to select Kenya’s team for the 2026 World Cross Country Championships).

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Kenya Police Service head coach Isaac Kirwa explained that she asked for an exemption because she was not yet prepared to compete. While the ruling may have shocked many, it seems that it has been thoughtfully planned to allow her to balance her schedule, stay in top form, and focus on a few major international competitions.

For a runner who has achieved consistent world level success, this change shows the balance top runners must maintain between competing nationally and ensuring long-term success. However,  Olympics Champion Chebet was expected to be given a wild card to compete for a third World Cross Country title in the U.S., but her absence definitely changes the picture