Kenya’s mountain running stars delivered a strong statement on the global stage after Joyce Muthoni Njeru and Michael Selelo Saoli claimed top honours at the Beijing Changping Classic, a key leg of the WMRA Mountain Running World Cup 2026 held along the Great Wall of China.
The two-day competition tested elite athletes with contrasting race formats, beginning with a steep 3.5km uphill-only challenge on Saturday before culminating in Sunday’s 18km classic race featuring a grueling 1,200m climb and technical descents.
Saoli rose to the occasion in Sunday’s men’s race, producing a tactically sound run to conquer the demanding course. After staying within the lead pack in the early stages, the Kenyan surged ahead on the climbs and held firm on the descents to secure victory in 1:25:49. Italy’s Isacco Costa finished second in 1:28:00, while Kenya’s Paul Machoka completed the podium in third place with a time of 1:28:58.
In the women’s race, Njeru once again underlined her pedigree on the world stage with a composed and commanding performance. The multiple global champion gradually pulled away from the field, showcasing her strength across both climbs and technical terrain to win convincingly in 1:45:02. American runner Courtney Barnes Coppinger took second place in 1:46:49, ahead of Switzerland’s Maude Mathys, who finished third in 1:47:16.
Saturday’s uphill-only race had offered a different test focused purely on climbing strength. Costa claimed victory in the men’s event in 22:31, with Machoka finishing second (22:59) and Italy’s Alex Baldaccini third (23:24). Saoli placed fifth in 23:31.
In the women’s uphill race, Mathys triumphed in 26:13, while Njeru finished second in 26:51, comfortably ahead of Coppinger, who clocked 28:18.
The World Cup series now shifts to Spain for the famed Transvulcania races on La Palma in two weeks, where athletes will again tackle both uphill and long-distance events.