# Cross Internacional de Itálica

The Cross Internacional de Itálica is an annual cross country running competition that is held every January in Santiponce, near Seville, Spain. Inaugurated on December 19, 1982, the race course is set in the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Itálica. As one of only two Spanish competitions to hold IAAF permit meeting status, it is one of the more prestigious races on the Spanish cross country circuit.
The competition comprises three general categories of race: children's and junior races, the mass participation ("popular") race, and the professional international races. The men's international race was a 10 km race until 1999 when it was increased to roughly 11 km. The distance of the women's international race (currently 8 km) has also fluctuated, varying between 5.5 km and 6.6 km in its early years. The course of the race loops through the ancient streets of Itálica, passing alongside ruins throughout. The red clay ground usually makes for a dry running surface, although rain has occasionally made this a particularly difficult, muddy course in previous editions.
The international fields for the Cross de Itálica frequently feature some of the most successful cross country athletes. Past winners include Paul Tergat, Kenenisa Bekele, Gelete Burka, Paula Radcliffe and Florence Kiplagat. Indeed, in six separate years (1994, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004 and 2009) one of the winners of the Cross de Itálica has gone on to win at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

## Past senior race winners

| Edition | Year | Men's winner | Time (m:s) | Women's winner | Time (m:s) |
| I | 1982 | José Alonso (ESP) | ? | Not Held | — |
| II | 1983 | Juan Barón (ESP) | ? | Not Held | — |
| III | 1984 | Fernando Mamede (POR) | ? | Not Held | — |
| IV | 1985 | Fernando Mamede (POR) | ? | Not Held | — |
| — | 1986 | Not Held | — | Not Held | — |
| V | 1987 | Paul Kipkoech (KEN) | ? | Not Held | — |
| VI | 1988 | Paul Kipkoech (KEN) | 28:48 | Not Held | — |
| VII | 1989 | Domingos Castro (POR) | 28:28 | Not Held | — |
| VIII | 1990 | Ondoro Osoro (KEN) | 28:21 | Not Held | — |
| IX | 1991 | Ondoro Osoro (KEN) | 28:33 | Andrea Wallace (ENG) | 17:39 |
| X | 1992 | Khalid Skah (MAR) | 28:05 | Hellen Kimaiyo (KEN) | 17:17 |
| XI | 1993 | Fita Bayisa (ETH) | 27:53 | Catherina McKiernan (IRL) | 17:11 |
| XII | 1994 | William Sigei (KEN) | 28:04 | Yelena Romanova (RUS) | 17:54 |
| XIII | 1995 | Paulo Guerra (POR) | 28:49 | Catherina McKiernan (IRL) | 17:43 |
| XIV | 1996 | Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) | 28:59 | Annemari Sandell (FIN) | 17:57 |
| XV | 1997 | Paulo Guerra (POR) | 29:57 | Elena Fidatov (ROM) | 20:26 |
| XVI | 1998 | Paul Tergat (KEN) | 27:57 | Jackline Maranga (KEN) | 19:15 |
| XVII | 1999 | Paul Tergat (KEN) | 30:56 | Zahra Ouaziz (MAR) | 21:34 |
| XVIII | 2000 | Charles Kamathi (KEN) | 20:30 | Gete Wami (ETH) | 21:15 |
| XIX | 2001 | Charles Kamathi (KEN) | 31:48 | Paula Radcliffe (ENG) | 21:31.7 |
| XX | 2002 | Abraham Chebii (KEN) | 30:38 | Mónica Rosa (POR) | 21:22 |
| XXI | 2003 | Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) | 31:32 | Merima Denboba (ETH) | 21:42 |
| XXII | 2004 | Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) | 31:01.6 | Merima Denboba (ETH) | 21:43 |
| XXIII | 2005 | Terefe Maregu (ETH) | 31:22 | Werknesh Kidane (ETH) | 28:43 |
| XXIV | 2006 | Abebe Dinkesa (ETH) | 31:03 | Bezunesh Bekele (ETH) | 21:32 |
| XXV | 2007 | Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) | 31:05 | Gelete Burka (ETH) | 21:14 |
| XXVI | 2008 | Moses Kipsiro (UGA) | 31:01 | Priscah Cherono (KEN) | 25:49 |
| XXVII | 2009 | Moses Kipsiro (UGA) | 30:37 | Florence Kiplagat (KEN) | 26:14 |
| XXVIII | 2010 | Leonard Komon (KEN) | 31:14 | Linet Masai (KEN) | 25:35 |
| XXIX | 2011 | Leonard Komon (KEN) | 30:38 | Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) | 26:02 |
| XXX | 2012 | Geoffrey Kipsang (KEN) | 30:53 | Linet Masai (KEN) | 25:42 |
| XXXI | 2013 | Jairus Birech (KEN) | 31:56 | Mercy Cherono (KEN) | 26:48 |
| XXXII | 2014 | Paul Tanui (KEN) | 31:32 | Hiwot Ayalew (ETH) | 27:18 |
| XXXIII | 2015 | Teklemariam Medhin (ERI) | 32:28 | Emily Chebet (KEN) | 27:15 |
| XXXIV | 2016 | Tamirat Tola (ETH) | 30:57 | Faith Kipyegon (KEN) | 24:56 |
| XXXV | 2017 | Aweke Ayalew (BHR) | 31:36 | Senbere Teferi (ETH) | 25:52 |
| XXXVI | 2018 | Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) | 30:54 | Agnes Jebet (KEN) | 25:51 |
| XXXVII | 2019 | Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) | 27:48 | Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN) | 28:01 |
| XXXVIII | 2020 | Tadese Worku (ETH) | 27:32 | Margaret Chelimo (KEN) | 28:37 |
| XXXIX | 2021 | Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI) | 28:33 | Norah Jeruto (KEN) | 24:22 |
| XL | 2022 | Thierry Ndikumwenayo (BDI) | 28:51 | Yasemin Can (TUR) | 32:31 |
| XLI | 2023 | Ronald Kwemoi (KEN) | 29:09 | Edinah Jebitok (KEN) | 32:39 |
| XLII | 2024 | Thierry Ndikumwenayo (ESP) | 21:24 | Beatrice Chebet (KEN) | 23:32 |

### Winners by country

| Country | Men's race | Women's race | Total |
| Kenya | 16 | 16 | 32 |
| Ethiopia | 9 | 8 | 17 |
| Portugal | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| Uganda | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Spain | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Burundi | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| England | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Ireland | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Morocco | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Bahrain | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Eritrea | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Finland | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Romania | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Russia | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Turkey | 0 | 1 | 1 |