In just a few days, the 46th World Athletics Cross Country Championships will be held on American soil for the first time since 1992, with America's brightest stars leading the charge. 

While the rest of the world makes the trip down to Tallahassee, Florida, for a high-stakes race at Apalachee Regional Park, the American contingent will look to defend home turf with the home crowd cheering them on. 

Along with the 14 women representing the United States, here are the 14 men wearing the red, white, and blue this weekend.

• Entry Lists Released For 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships
  
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Parker Wolfe Leads Senior Team Made Up Of America's Best

Parker Wolfe, swoosh TC (Arizona)

The former North Carolina Tar Heel is no stranger to racing on grass, with the Colorado native notching four consecutive All-American honors during his collegiate career, including three-straight top-10 finishes from 2022-2024.

Early last month, Wolfe made his move over the final kilometer, separating himself from the field en route to his first national title on the pro circuit. The 22-year-old used a 2:52 last 1k to build an eight-second gap on the chase pack.

Rocky Hansen, Wake Forest

After finishing runner-up at the 2025 NCAA Cross Country Championships just a few weeks prior, the junior continued his streak, this time punching his ticket to his first-ever World Championships. 

Finishing ahead of multiple Olympians and global medalists, Hansen is the lone collegian on the men's senior team, but don't get it twisted, the 13:12 5000m runner brings a combination of grit and toughness that'll fair well at Apalachee Regional Park. 

Wesley Kiptoo, HOKA NAZ Elite

Less than two months after running 2:09:02 at the Chicago Marathon, the 2021 NCAA indoor 5000m national champion made the most of his first U.S. Championships as an American citizen, finishing third overall in 29:27.

Kiptoo had primarily raced on the roads in 2025, running 2:08:54 in Boston to complement his sub-2:10 performance in October. A two-time top-three finisher at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, the former Iowa State Cyclone will look to make the most of his first world championship appearance. 

Ahmed Muhumed, HOKA NAZ Elite

Joining his teammate and training partner in Tallahassee, Muhumed avenged his fourth-place finish at the U.S. Outdoor Championships in July by beating two of the men who had edged him out in Eugene.

Muhumed, who finished third at this meet a year ago, is the only athlete from last year's World XC squad who is running it back on American soil.

Nico Young, swoosh TC (Arizona)

The reigning national champion over 10,000m made his second global team in a row, running 29:41 as he continued his hot streak. 

Just a few months removed from finishing sixth and fifth in the 5000m and 10,000m at the Tokyo World Championships, the 23-year-old could very well add another top-10 world championship finish to his growing resume, and considering he's familiar with championship running on this course, he'll be right at home. 

Graham Blanks, New Balance

One of just 13 men to ever win back-to-back NCAA cross country titles in the championship's 87-year history, Blanks is all too familiar with winning on uneven terrain. 

Running 28:37 in back-to-back years to break the tape, Blanks is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to cross country. Not to mention, he made his first world team over the summer in the 10,000m, where he finished 11th in a tactical final. The Harvard grad is one of the many underdogs representing the United States this weekend.

Aidan Torres, Mixture Of Collegians & High Schoolers Representing U20 Squad

Led by Texas freshman and U20 national champion Aidan Torres, the U20 squad is made up of a pair of high schoolers and a quartet of collegians. Torres had the busiest season of any of the collegians, ending his freshman campaign with a 15th-place finish at the NCAA South Central Region Championships. 

California Poly freshman Tyler Daillak finished runner-up behind the Longhorn, with  Wake Forest commit Daniel Skandera in third. College freshmen Salvador Wirth (Minnesota) and Dylan Maloney (New Mexico) rounded out the top-five finishers. 

The sixth and final qualifier is none other than Herriman (Utah) senior Jackson Spencer, the undefeated Nike Cross Nationals and Brooks Nationals champion, who ran as fast as 14:16 for 5k this fall. 

Ethan Strand, Wes Porter Looking To Do Their Part In The Mixed Relay

It's been an eventful year for both men on the American Mixed Relay team, with both Ethan Strand and Wes Porter already making strides in the midst of their first year as professionals.

Strand, who finished runner-up in the U.S. Championships 1500m final before making it to the semi-finals at the Tokyo World Championships.

Porter, on the other hand, helped Virginia win the NCAA DMR title in March and ran 3:54.58 in the mile a month earlier. 

This is the pair's first time representing the U.S. in cross country, and Strand's second time in four months.

2026 World XC Championships Schedule (ET) Jan. 10

• 09:45 — Mixed Relay (Final) — Mixed
• 10:20 — U20 Race (Final) — Women
• 10:55 — U20 Race (Final) — Men
• 11:35 — Senior Race (Final) — Women
• 12:20 — Senior Race (Final) — Men

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