North Carolina State University Athletics
Four Athletes Set to Compete at World Athletics Cross Country Championships
1/8/2026 1:12:00 PM | Track, Cross Country
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Four members of the NC State women's cross country team have earned the opportunity to compete at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships, set for Saturday, January 10, in Tallahassee, Florida.
Senior Women's 10k Race
Grace Hartman will represent the United States. She secured her spot on Team USA with a sixth-place finish (34:25.7) in the Open Women's 10K at the USATF Cross Country Championships.
Hannah Gapes will compete for New Zealand after capturing the individual title at the China Southern Airlines New Zealand Cross Country Championships back in August.
Phoebe Anderson will represent Great Britain. She earned her place following a strong performance at the European Cross Country Championships, where she finished sixth individually and was the second British athlete across the line, helping Great Britain and Northern Ireland to a second-place team finish.
U20 Race
Daniela Scheffler will compete for the United States. She secured her spot after finishing second overall with a time of 21:20.7 at the USATF Cross Country Championships.
The Race
The U20 women's 6k is scheduled for 10:20 a.m. EST, followed by the senior women's 10k at 11:35 a.m.
The championships will be held at Apalachee Regional Park, a course inspired by Florida's natural landscape. It is designed to test athletes with sand, water, mud and a signature rollercoaster-style feature. The course includes two looping circuits with rolling hills, wide grass straights and distinctive red clay paths winding through scenic pine trees. Four designated challenge areas will be encouraged multiple times throughout the 10K race.
This year's event marks the long-awaited return of the World Athletics Cross Country Championships to U.S. soil for the first time in more than 30 years.
Players Mentioned
