PRESS RELEASE – Guam Track and Field Association (GTFA) will host the 2022 Oceania Cross Country Championships, in conjunction with the Guam National Championships, on October 29, 2022 at George Washington High School in Mangilao. Visiting athletes from the Federated States of Micronesia, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, French Polynesia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and possibly Australia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, are expected to compete. 

The championship race will be open to the runners of all ages and abilities and will feature different race distances on grass cross country course, including a Men’s and Women’s 10km, Under-20 Men’s and Women’s 6km, and Under-14 boys and girls 2km. Registration will be $10 and will be available online at guamtrackandfield.com. 

The event is an official Area Championship race endorsed by World Athletics, Oceania Athletics Association, and the Guam National Olympic Committee. The race will serve as an official qualifier for the World Athletics Championships in Bathurst, Australia in February 2023. The top eligible finisher, as an Area Champion, will earn a wildcard qualifying spot at the World Championships. The race will also be used to determine Guam’s male and female representatives at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships. 

Guam previously hosted the Oceania Cross Country Championships in 2014 at John F. Kennedy High School. 

“We are excited to be hosting the first Area Cross Country Championships on Guam in eight years,” said Derek Mandell, GTFA president. “Guam has a strong long-distance running tradition but cross country running is rarely contested outside of the interscholastic sports system. This is a unique opportunity for local runners to be able to compete in a cross country race against some of the best runners in the region.” 

About GTFA: GTFA is the official national governing body of the sport of Track and Field, Cross Country, and Road Racing on Guam. GTFA sends athletes to the Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships, Pacific Games, and other international competitions. GTFA consists of an all-volunteer board and is a non-profit organization.