* Irene Riggs (left) is one of the top entered girls at the USATF U20 XC Championships; Kole Mathison (right) will compete in the junior men's race at the championships.
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On Saturday, some of the nation's top high school cross country talents will return to the cross country course hoping to earn a coveted chance at competing on the world stage.
More than 40 prep athletes will take to Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville, Va. for the USATF U20 Cross Country Championships this weekend vying for the six automatic berths to the USA travel team for the World U20 XC Championships in Australia on Feb. 18.
The entry list includes a fair share of notable names -- national champions, state title winners and top recruits included.
Athletes will bump up from racing the typical 5k high school distance to contest the 6k for the junior women's race and the 8k for the junior men. The top six finishers in each field will travel to World U20s, while an additional two competitors from each race will earn selection as alternates.
USATF will also tab two male and two female runners for the junior 4x2k mixed relay, largely based on performances at the 1,500m, mile, 3,000m, 3,000m steeplechase and two-mile distances posted since March 2022.
Below, find a complete list of high schoolers set to compete at the USATF U20 XC Championships on Saturday, as well as some of the top talents to watch.
ATHLETES TO WATCH
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Girls:
Irene Riggs, Morgantown (WV): Team Nationals individual champion in 16:40.90; No. 2 all-time cross country 5k of 16:02.10 at the Team Southeast Regional.
Karrie Baloga, Cornwall (NY): Champs Sports XC champion in 16:49.20; New York Class B state champion.
Ellie Shea, Emerging Elites (MA): Champs Sports XC runner-up in 16:55.10; Champs Sports Northeast regional champion.
Abbey Nechanicky, Wayzata (MN): Minnesota Class 3A state champion; Team Heartland regional champion; fourth place at Team Nationals.
Zariel Macchia, William Floyd (NY): Garmin RunningLane XC runner-up; sixth place at Champs Sports XC; New York Class A state champion.
Allie Zealand, Pacers Homeschool (VA): Fourth place at Garmin RunningLane XC; eighth place at Champs Sports XC.
Thais Rolly, McLean (VA): 25th at Champs Sports XC; sixth at Champs Sports South regional.
Boys:
Kole Mathison, Carmel (IN): Champs Sports XC champion in 14:56.60; fourth place at Team Nationals; Indiana state champion.
Lex Young, Newbury Park (CA): California Division 2 state champion in 14:27.70; 35th at Team Nationals; helped Newbury Park to Team Nationals championship.
Leo Young, Newbury Park (CA): California Division 2 state runner-up; ASICS Clovis Invitational champion in 14:25.9; 11th at Team Nationals; helped Newbury Park to Team Nationals championship.
Brayden Seymour, Newbury Park (CA): 24th at Team Nationals; helped Newbury Park to Team Nationals championship.
Junior Women's 6k High School Entries
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Junior Men's 8k High School Entries
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