# 1996 IAAF World Cross Country Championships

The 1996 IAAF World Cross Country Championships was held in Stellenbosch, South Africa, at the Danie Craven Stadium on March 23, 1996. A preview on the event was given in the Herald, and a report in The New York Times.
Complete results for senior men, junior men, senior women, junior women, medallists, and the results of British athletes were published.

## Medallists

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| Individual |||||||
| Senior men (12.15 km) | Paul Tergat Kenya | 33:44 | Salah Hissou Morocco | 33:56 | Ismael Kirui Kenya | 33:57 |
| Junior men (8.35 km) | David Chelule Kenya | 24:06 | Assefa Mezegebu Ethiopia | 24:19 | Samuel Chepkok Kenya | 24:24 |
| Senior women (6.3 km) | Gete Wami Ethiopia | 20:12 | Rose Cheruiyot Kenya | 20:18 | Naomi Mugo Kenya | 20:21 |
| Junior women (4.22 km) | Kutre Dulecha Ethiopia | 13:27 | Annemari Sandell Finland | 13:32 | Jepkorir Ayabei Kenya | 13:35 |
| Team |||||||
| Senior men | Kenya | 33 | Morocco | 99 | Ethiopia | 107 |
| Junior men | Kenya | 13 | Ethiopia | 26 | Morocco | 94 |
| Senior women | Kenya | 24 | Ethiopia | 44 | Romania | 70 |
| Junior women | Kenya | 21 | Ethiopia | 26 | Japan | 70 |

## Race results
### Senior men's race (12.15 km)

* Note: Athletes in parentheses did not score for the team result

### Junior men's race (8.35 km)

* Note: Athletes in parentheses did not score for the team result

### Senior women's race (6.3 km)

* Note: Athletes in parentheses did not score for the team result

### Junior women's race (4.22 km)

* Note: Athletes in parentheses did not score for the team result

## Medal table (unofficial)

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Kenya | 6 | 1 | 4 | 11 |
| 2 | Ethiopia | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| 3 | Morocco | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 4 | Finland | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | Japan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | Romania | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (6 entries) | Totals (6 entries) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 24 |
* Note: Totals include both individual and team medals, with medals in the team competition counting as one medal.

## Participation

An unofficial count yields the participation of 669 athletes from 65 countries. This is in agreement with the official numbers as published.
* Algeria (6)
* Angola (3)
* Argentina (8)
* Australia (15)
* Belarus (7)
* Belgium (16)
* Botswana (10)
* Brazil (20)
* Cameroon (4)
* Canada (18)
* China (7)
* Chinese Taipei (2)
* Colombia (10)
* Congo (1)
* Croatia (3)
* Czech Republic (4)
* Egypt (2)
* Estonia (1)
* Ethiopia (27)
* Fiji (6)
* Finland (16)
* France (27)
* Germany (2)
* Hong Kong (1)
* Hungary (2)
* India (18)
* Ireland (14)
* Israel (1)
* Italy (27)
* Jamaica (10)
* Japan (22)
* Kazakhstan (2)
* Kenya (26)
* Lesotho (9)
* Lithuania (1)
* Malawi (7)
* Mauritius (12)
* Mexico (12)
* Morocco (17)
* Mozambique (5)
* Namibia (11)
* Netherlands (16)
* New Zealand (12)
* Papua New Guinea (8)
* Poland (1)
* Portugal (17)
* Romania (13)
* Russia (10)
* Senegal (1)
* Seychelles (4)
* Slovakia (2)
* South Africa (27)
* Spain (27)
* Eswatini (6)
* Sweden (1)
* Switzerland (8)
* Tajikistan (2)
* Tanzania (10)
* Uganda (7)
* Ukraine (6)
* United Kingdom (26)
* United States (26)
* Yugoslavia (5)
* Zambia (3)
* Zimbabwe (19)