The World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida, saw a surprising upset on , as Australia’s mixed relay team secured gold, ending Kenya’s dominant run in the event. The Australian quartet of Olli Hoare, Linden Hall, Jack Anstey, and Jessica Hull finished the race in , surpassing their bronze medal performance from .
The victory was particularly notable given Kenya’s previous success, having won four of the previous mixed relay championships since the event’s inception in . This marks the first time a non-African team has claimed the top spot. France secured silver with a time of , while Ethiopia took bronze in . Kenya finished fourth, failing to medal for the first time in the event’s history, clocking in at .
The race began with a competitive first leg, featuring Silas Chemutai of Uganda and Ethan Strand of the USA taking an early lead. Reynold Cheruiyot of Kenya and Olli Hoare of Australia closely followed. Strand ultimately gained a slight advantage at the end of the first 2km leg, completing it in , with France and Australia trailing closely behind.
Australia’s Linden Hall demonstrated a strong performance on the second leg, establishing a significant lead. While the USA’s Sage Hurta-Klecker fell back in the rankings, Ethiopia’s Gela Hambese and France’s Sarah Madeleine remained contenders. Hall navigated the challenging course, including alligator-shaped wooden logs, with ease, extending Australia’s lead.
Antoine Senard of France closed the gap on the third leg, bringing his team back into contention. Wes Porter of the USA also improved their position, but Ethiopia and Kenya remained within striking distance. The final leg saw Jessica Hull of Australia surge ahead, ultimately securing the win with a final time of for her leg.
Elsewhere in the world of sports, preparations are underway for the Olympic Games in in Antholz-Anterselva, Italy. The Mixed Relay (W+M) biathlon event is scheduled for , with a start time of . The IBU World Cup Mixed Relay (M+W) in Antholz-Anterselva is set to take place on at .
In biathlon news, one athlete is navigating a return to competition following a period of recovery. After undergoing spinal surgery last winter, the athlete is currently training and rehabilitating in Anterselva, the site of the upcoming Olympic Games. While acknowledging that she doesn’t “feel quite as before,” she is focused on regaining her confidence and trusting her body. She noted that while improvements aren’t happening “every day,” her training sessions have been surprisingly manageable given her current condition.
The athlete is acclimating well to the altitude of meters, noting the thinner air but also favorable weather conditions and good course conditions. She expressed hope for continued good weather during the competition, with current forecasts predicting sunshine, temperatures around freezing, and minimal wind.
The athlete is scheduled to compete in the mixed relay on , an event she previously participated in at Östersund. She remains cautious about her participation, stating she needs to “wake up feeling normal” before confirming her involvement. She fondly remembers a previous bronze medal win in Anterselva with teammates Ondřej Moravec and Eva Puskarčíková, and looks forward to potentially creating new positive memories. She will be anchoring the team, with Davidová expected to finish the race.
The athlete previously finished a mixed relay in Östersund, bringing the team to fifth place, and anchored the women’s team to a third-place finish. She admits to initial apprehension about finishing races but has since found it enjoyable.
