Results Colorado athletes delivered a series of strong performances at the 2026 USATF Cross Country Championships, held Saturday, December 6, at Glendoveer Golf Course in Portland, Oregon. The national championship served as the U.S. qualifying event for the 2026 World Cross Country Championships, scheduled for January 10 in Tallahassee, Florida, with Team USA berths on the line in both the senior 10 km races and the 2 km mixed-gender relay events.
Colorado was well represented in the men’s championship race, which featured one of the deepest domestic fields of the year. Parker Wolfe (Swoosh TC) led the way with a commanding victory in 29:17, earning an automatic berth on Team USA as one of the top six finishers.
Several Colorado-based athletes also delivered competitive efforts throughout the field, including Paul Chelimo (American Distance Project) in eighth (30:15), Camren Todd (Unattached) in 11th (30:18), Dylan Schubert (ASICS) in 14th (30:34), and Andrew Hunter (ASICS) in 16th (30:42). The depth of the Colorado contingent was further highlighted by solid performances from Daniel Michalski (U.S. Air Force), Anthony Rotich (U.S. Army), and a large group of unaffiliated athletes rounding out the field.
On the women’s side, Ednah Kurgat (U.S. Army) delivered a standout performance, finishing third overall in 34:10 to secure a place on Team USA for the World Cross Country Championships.
Colorado athletes continued to make their presence felt throughout the race, with Makena Morley (ASICS) placing 12th (35:05) and strong showings from Rachael Rudel (Front Range Elite), Annastasia Peters (Unattached), and Amaris Tyynismaa (Unattached), all finishing inside the top 30. Additional Colorado representation came from Jessica Gockley-Day (Saucony) and Lauren Neugeboren (Front Range Elite), underscoring the state’s depth in women’s distance running.
In the shorter championship race, Colorado athletes were again in the mix. Sam Gilman (Unattached) led the group with a fourth-place finish in 5:35, narrowly missing a top-two spot that would have earned selection to the mixed-gender relay team. Jacob Hunter, Ben Hogan, and Dylan Day also represented Colorado in the fast, tactical event.
Colorado claimed a podium finish and a World Championships berth in the women’s 2 km race, as Sage Hurta-Klecker (On Athletics Club) placed second in 6:23. Her performance secured her selection to Team USA’s mixed-gender relay squad, which will compete in Tallahassee.
Colorado athletes turned in strong performances in the U20 men’s 8 km race, led by Wil Ihmels (University of Colorado), who placed seventh overall in 25:44 to finish as the top Colorado-based competitor in the field. Scott Clark (University of Colorado Colorado Springs) followed in 14th (26:30), while Boston Potts (University of Portland) added another solid showing with a 21st-place finish in 26:44. Additional Colorado representation included Calvin Brain (Unattached), Jackson Dalleck (University of Colorado Colorado Springs), and Elijah Dafoe (University of Colorado Colorado Springs), highlighting the depth of emerging distance talent from the state.
Colorado masters athletes enjoyed an outstanding day, highlighted by multiple age-group podium finishes. Neil McDonagh (Square State Striders) captured the 40–44 age group title with a winning time of 27:38, while Jeffrey Dumas (Boulder Road Runners) earned the national title in the 80–84 division in 47:28.
Colorado also collected several additional podium finishes, including Jeremy Parks (Unattached) placing second in the 45–49 division, William Repphun (Boulder Road Runners) finishing second in the 80–84 division, and Jack Pottle (Boulder Road Runners) earning third in the 70–74 division. Strong performances from Thomas Lemire and Doug Bell, both representing Boulder Road Runners, further underscored Colorado’s strength across the masters age groups.
In the masters women’s 6 km race, Ann Kirkpatrick (Front Range Elite) led the Colorado contingent with a fifth-place finish in the 40–44 age group, crossing the line in 24:01. Her performance capped another solid showing for Colorado athletes competing across the masters divisions at the national championships.