December 18, 2014 (Beijing) – China will host the 41st IAAF World Cross Country Championships for the first time in its history in the coming year. The world’s leading cross-country competition will take place in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province in Southwest China.

According to the Chinese organization committee, the championship will start on March 28, 2015, with four categories, namely 6 kilometers for young women, 8 kilometers for adult women, 8 kilometers for young men and 12 kilometers for adult men.

Although, the IAAF announced that it would be premature to speculate on the numbers of the runners and member federations to take part in Guiyang, Chinese media reports state that the event could attract more than 1,000 participants, coaches and media from over 50 countries and regions.

Among the elite runners, striving to defend previous titles and return to former glory, is Eritrea’s Zersenay Tadese, Kenya’s Japhet Korir and Emily Chebet.

The IAAF said that Eritrea’s Zersenay Tadese and the Netherlands’ Lornah Kiplagat, both in 2007, were the last individual senior winners from anywhere other than the two East African countries while Tanzania’s Andrew Sambu and Finland’s Annemari Sandell, who triumphed in 1991 and 1995 respectively, were the last junior winners to fracture the duopoly.

The first six individuals and teams in the senior races will be given a price money while a price tag of US$30,000 awaits the first man and woman of the race. US$20,000 will be spread among the winning teams.