Cross Internacional de Soria 2026: Kwizera goes back for a fourth win
By AthRecs Editorial · 1 min read
Rodrigue Kwizera won by a second at Itálica last weekend. On Sunday he goes back to a course where he has won three times and where Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang got the better of him last year. Charity Cherop has her own unfinished business after taking second in Seville.
A one-second win and a rematch
Kwizera won here in 2021, 2023 and 2024. He also ran 58:03 for a Spanish half-marathon record in Valencia this autumn, then took his third Itálica title. Defending Soria champion Kipsang is back, and so is Charles Kiboino, the runner who finished a second behind Kwizera in Seville. A familiar course gives the three of them one more thing to think about when someone finally commits to the race.
Cherop and the runners getting their first taste of Soria
Cherop’s second place at Itálica follows a win at the 2024 Cardiff Cross Challenge, evidence that she can handle very different cross-country courses. Beyond the senior field, the local programme makes room for school athletes, masters, an inclusive race and four-person relays. For some of those children, getting a first run in the same woods as an international field is as much of a story as the medal race.
Official information and image credits
Sources: https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-cross-country-tour/news/cross-internacional-de-soria-2026-kwizera-cherop · https://crossdesoria.com/reglamento/ · https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Monte_Valonsadero._Soria._-_46140472324.jpg · https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Quick answers
Where is the Cross Internacional de Soria held?
The 2026 race is at Monte Valonsadero, outside Soria, Spain, on Sunday 15 November.
Is Soria part of the World Athletics Cross Country Tour?
Yes. World Athletics lists Soria as the fourth Gold-level meeting of the 2026–27 season.