Masters Athletes Bring Home Medals from Australia

February 18-19, 2023 BATHURST, AUSTRALIA

At the inaugural World Masters Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia, on Saturday, the Mixed Relay team of April Lund and Ben Bruce brought home Silver Medals for the USA.

World Athletics Cross Country Championships Bathurst, Australia; Feb. 18. (c) Mike Scott 2023.

They were competing on the same challenging course used for the WA Cross Country Championships in Bathurst. Substantial elevation changes, a muddy pit, a chicane to weave through, and 90-degree heat tested the two Masters athletes, each of whom raced a 2 km loop. Battling the home team squads from Australia for the medals, Bruce and Lund clocked 14:11. Their 3:32 per kilometer pace enabled the American duo to break up the top two Australian teams, finishing 21 seconds back from the gold medal, team, and 25 seconds ahead of the Aussie team chasing them. It was a terrific start for a historic weekend of racing!

The following day, Bruce and Lund toed the line for individual races. This time it was three loops each for a 6 Km grind up and down around the Mt. Panorama layout. Again, their chief rivals were Australians. Facing the same tough course and conditions two days in a row were a challenge. Both Bruce and Lund rose to the challenge, Bruce finishing 2nd overall in the Men’s race in 20:30, averaging 3:50/km. Lund clocked 23:53, averaging a tick under 4:00/km, finishing 3rd overall. Bruce is returning home with two silver medals. Lund with a gold Age Division medal mixed in. Bruce and Lund led Team USATF to a 3rd place team finish in medal count, behind Australia, the host nation, and their neighbor, New Zealand, and ahead of Great Britain, France and Canada in 4th through 6th.