The World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee unveiled the official medal design for the event, set for January 10, 2026.
Designed by Florida State University Athletics Hall of Famer and 2008 US Olympian Rafeeq Curry, the design brings together local culture, natural beauty, and the enduring spirit of athletic performance.
The medal’s engraved lines symbolize both terrain and movement, echoing Florida’s rivers and rolling hills.
At the top, radiating sunrays embody Florida’s global moniker, The Sunshine State, while an arrowhead pattern honors the Apalachee people, a native tribe in the Tallahassee region, as an acknowledgment of the land’s deep cultural legacy.
The WXC Tallahassee 26 event logo is at the center of the design, prominently placed to establish global recognition of the race.
The base of the medal includes carefully etched waves that reflect Florida’s distinct coastal geography and surrounding lakes and rivers.
The ribbon design complements this vision, with a seamless gradient and a rising wave leading to the sun, reflecting both natural elements and the spirit of competition.
The waveforms mirror Florida’s dynamic environment, reflecting its fluidity and motion.
The sunrise represents the energy of daybreak, early starts, and quiet intensity before the race begins.
World Athletics Cross Country Championships returns to the United States in over 30 years.
