Macchia, Shea and Zealand return from women’s lineup that captured bronze for U.S. last year in Australia, with Mathison back from men’s roster that also took third as both teams look to build on earning podium finishes for first time in meet history with races in Serbia

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Following the breakthrough in Bathurst last year in the women’s Under-20 race at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships, three athletes from the American lineup in Australia return in pursuit of another podium finish Saturday at the Park of Friendship in Belgrade, Serbia.

Zariel Macchia, Ellie Shea and Allie Zealand were members of the U.S. roster that achieved a memorable bronze medal last year, the only podium finish in the Under-20 women’s race for the Americans in meet history.

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Macchia, who won the Under-20 title Jan. 20 at the USATF Cross Country Championships at Pole Green Park in Virginia, placed 19th last year for the Americans in Australia. Shea secured 10th and Zealand was 34th overall.

The trio will be joined by Mary Bonner Dalton, Maddie Gardiner and Jolena Quarzo in the 6-kilometer competition in Serbia. 

The U.S. men also captured bronze in Bathurst, the first time the Americans had been on the podium since 1982, when they also finished third overall.

It was the eighth team medal overall for the U.S. in the men’s Under-20 competition in meet history, including four consecutive victories from 1974-77, along with another championship in 1981.

The Americans also achieved silver in 1980, along with the bronze performances in 1982 and last year.

Kole Mathison returns for the U.S. following a 25th-place performance in the men’s 8-kilometer race in Bathurst.

Mathison is expected to be joined by Noah Breker, Birhanu Harriman, Aidan Jones, Berkley Nance and USATF men’s Under-20 champion Kevin Sanchez.

Dathan Ritzenhein was not only the last American Under-20 male competitor to medal at the World Championships, earning bronze in 2001 in Belgium, but that was also the last year the Americans achieved a top-10 men’s finish at the global final, including Matt Tegenkamp placing fifth overall.

Rich Kimball, Bobb Thomas, Eric Hulst and Thom Hunt captured four consecutive individual gold medals for the U.S. from 1974-77. Hunt also achieved silver behind Hulst’s victory in 1976, with Ed Eyestone and Keith Brantly capturing back-to-back bronze medals in 1980-81 for the Americans.

Melody Fairchild is the only U.S. Under-20 female athlete to secure a medal, grabbing bronze in 1991 in Belgium.

Shea’s 10th-place finish was the first top-10 performance by the American women in the Under-20 competition since Fairchild.

Ethiopia won its fourth consecutive women’s Under-20 gold medal last year, with the Kenyan men’s team capturing its first Under-20 team title since 2015.