University of Minnesota Athletics
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/ Women's Cross Country
Distance
/ Women's Cross Country
Distance
/ Men's Cross Country
Wirth Brings Home U20 World Bronze Medal
1/12/2026 11:24:00 AM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
Wirth was 30th overall at the U20 World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee.
MINNEAPOLIS – For the first time in history, the United States of America secured a U20 World Cross Country Championships men's team medal finish on home soil on Saturday in Tallahassee. Minnesota's Salvador Wirth finished 30th overall, and fifth among the U.S. competitors, to aid the team finish that brought home the red, white and blue a bronze medal.Â
Wirth competed alongside Minnesota teammates Norah Hushagen and Avery Marasco-Johnson, who ran for the women's team at Apalachee Regional Park. The University of Minnesota was the only NCAA team to have three representatives on the U20 rosters. Wirth clocked an 8K time of 25:39 on a course that included non-traditional features like a man-made 'rollercoaster' hill, a sand pit, a water pit, a mud pit and alligator logs to hurdle. Hushagen ran to a 53rd-place finish (22:33.0) in her U.S. debut while Marasco-Johnson came across in 58th overall (23:01.0) and helped Team USA finish in fourth overall (108 points). Additionally, Minnesota signee Oliver Crowe finished 54th in the same U20 men's race on Saturday for Team Canada in his first appearance on the world stage for his home country.Â
The U20 World Cross Country Championships have only been held since 1973, with the competition now only behind held every other year. The United States had not hosted the event since 1992 when the races were held in Boston, Mass., and the U20 men's team finished ninth overall.Â
Wirth, a Annandale High School grad, qualified for the U20 World Championships and earned a spot on Team USA by capturing fourth overall at the USATF U20 Cross Country Championships in Portland, Ore., in December. Hushagen and Marasco-Johnson were fifth and sixth at the same event back in December, securing their first spots on a world team.Â
For more information on the Gophers, continue to check back with GopherSports.com. Keep up with the University of Minnesota cross country and track and field team on X.com (Twitter) and Instagram (@GopherCCTF) and on Facebook, so you do not miss any content during the season.Â
Wirth competed alongside Minnesota teammates Norah Hushagen and Avery Marasco-Johnson, who ran for the women's team at Apalachee Regional Park. The University of Minnesota was the only NCAA team to have three representatives on the U20 rosters. Wirth clocked an 8K time of 25:39 on a course that included non-traditional features like a man-made 'rollercoaster' hill, a sand pit, a water pit, a mud pit and alligator logs to hurdle. Hushagen ran to a 53rd-place finish (22:33.0) in her U.S. debut while Marasco-Johnson came across in 58th overall (23:01.0) and helped Team USA finish in fourth overall (108 points). Additionally, Minnesota signee Oliver Crowe finished 54th in the same U20 men's race on Saturday for Team Canada in his first appearance on the world stage for his home country.Â
The U20 World Cross Country Championships have only been held since 1973, with the competition now only behind held every other year. The United States had not hosted the event since 1992 when the races were held in Boston, Mass., and the U20 men's team finished ninth overall.Â
Wirth, a Annandale High School grad, qualified for the U20 World Championships and earned a spot on Team USA by capturing fourth overall at the USATF U20 Cross Country Championships in Portland, Ore., in December. Hushagen and Marasco-Johnson were fifth and sixth at the same event back in December, securing their first spots on a world team.Â
For more information on the Gophers, continue to check back with GopherSports.com. Keep up with the University of Minnesota cross country and track and field team on X.com (Twitter) and Instagram (@GopherCCTF) and on Facebook, so you do not miss any content during the season.Â
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