* William Floyd junior Zariel Macchia won the U20 race on Saturday in Virginia
Photo Credit: Jane Monti/Race Results Weekly
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Zariel Macchia claimed her second World U20 qualification in as many years, her second U20 cross country title in three seasons and led four other high school athletes into the top six at the USATF U20 Cross Country Championships on Saturday at Pole Green Park near Richmond, Virginia.
The William Floyd (NY) junior led the majority of the race and had even splits over each 1K en route to her 6K win in 20:31. This year's World U20 Cross Country Championships will take place in Belgrade, Serbia in March.
Macchia, who finished third in this same race last year and first in 2022, came through the 5K split in 17:25 before she dropped her fastest 1K of 3:05 to claim the title.
Following close behind Macchia was Allie Zealand of Pacers Homeschool (VA), who had a late push to finish second in 20:31.9. NC State freshman Jolena Quarzo was the third-place finisher in 20:44.
Mary Bonner Dalton, Maddie Gardiner and Ellie Shea -- all high school seniors -- claimed the next three spots in 20:46, 20:48 and 20:53, respectively.
The final member of Team USA will be University of Virginia freshman Gillian Bushee, who clocked 21:01.
Macchia's win on Saturday marked the third time she has made a U.S. team in the last two years.
Macchia made her first U.S. team when she finished third at this race in 2023; that later led to a 19th-place finish at the 2023 World U20 Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia.
Last summer, Macchia was the runner-up at the USATF U20 Outdoor Championships in the 3K and earned a bronze medal in the event at the 2023 Pan American U20 Championships.
| Rank | Athlete | Time |
| 1 | Zarriel Macchia, William Floyd (NY) | 20:31.0 |
| 2 | Allie Zealand | 20:31.9 |
| 3 | Jolena Quarzo, NC State | 20:44.0 |
| 4 | Mary Bonner Dalton, Myers Park (NC) | 20:46.7 |
| 5 | Maddie Gardiner, The Covenant School (VA) | 20:48.2 |
| 6 | Ellie Shea, Emerging Elite (MA) | 20:53.3 |
| 7 | Gillian Bushee, University of Virginia | 21:01.7 |
| 8 | Julia Kiesler, Boise State University | 21:10.2 |
| 9 | Sadie Adams, The Covenant School (VA) | 21:25.1 |
| 10 | Temi Ariyo, University of Louisville | 21:33.2 |
Photo Credit: Jane Monti / Race Results Weekly
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Unlike the women's race, the men's U20 competition had many leaders throughout the 8K race.
Ultimately, it was Kevin Sanchez of Notre Dame -- a 2023 graduate of Austin Vandegrift High School (TX) -- who crossed the finish line first in 24:07.1, punching his ticket to the World U20 Cross Country Championships.
Logan Law of Gonzaga led through the first 3K at 9:10.6, but Colorado's Kole Mathison then decided to take control of the race over the next 2K. It wasn't until the latter half of the race that Sanchez surged to the front and never looked back.
Sanchez, the UIL 6A cross country state champion in 2022, crossed the finish line 11 seconds ahead of Mathison, who finished second in 24:18.4. Noah Breker, a freshman from North Carolina, settled for third in 24:21.0.
Berkley Nance, a senior from Mills Godwin (VA) and a BYU signee, entered the U20 championships coming off a 9:05 two mile victory at the VA Showcase last weekend, but would transition back to the cross country course and take sixth in 24:25.
That makes for Nance's first-ever U.S. team qualification.
Aidan Jones, Birhanu Harriman, and Matthew Donis rounded out the top seven finishers.
| Rank | Athlete | Time |
| 1 | Kevin Sanchez, Notre Dame | 24:07.1 |
| 2 | Kole Matthison, University of Colorado | 24:18.4 |
| 3 | Noah Breker, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill | 24:21.0 |
| 4 | Aidan Jones, University of Minnesota | 24:23.3 |
| 5 | Birhanu Harriman, Georgetown | 24:24.8 |
| 6 | Berkley Nance, Mills Godwin (VA) | 24:25.7 |
| 7 | Matthew Donis, Mt. San Antonio College | 24:35.2 |
| 8 | Aidan Cox, University of Virginia | 24:37.3 |
| 9 | Liam Newhart, University of Wisconsin | 24:39.0 |
| 10 | Oliver Burns, Bradley University | 24:43.1 |