COLLEGE TOWN, FL (WTXL) — Leon County officials met with World Athletics leadership in Eugene, Oregon, this week to make the case for hosting the 2029 World Athletics Cross Country Championships and becoming the event's long-term home.
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Leon County leaders are making their pitch to bring the World Athletics Cross Country Championships back — and potentially keep it there permanently.
This week, county officials traveled to Eugene, Oregon, to meet with World Athletics President Sebastian Coe and CEO Jon Ridgeon. The trip came months after Leon County hosted the championships, an event that drew competitors from 48 countries, more than 15,000 spectators, and audiences in more than 200 countries and territories — while generating more than $6 million in local economic impact.
Leon County Commission Chairman Christian Caban said the in-person meeting was a deliberate effort to stand out.
"We really had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to basically their turf. Go meet them when they're hosting another championship and, you know, give them that personal touch to let them know that our message is clear: we want to be the permanent home for the World Athletics Cross Country Championship here in Leon County," Caban said.
County Administrator Vincent Long said World Athletics leadership responded positively, describing Leon County as part of a broader shift in how the organization thinks about its championships.
"They're looking at Leon County; they're excited about Leon County as a pilot program as they sort of change their model and because they move these championships all over the world, but to have a home for World Athletics World Cross Country is something that they really are looking forward to as well," Long said.
Long said the January championships established Apalachee Regional Park as a premier venue on the global stage.
"It has become the best cross country facility in the country, and that's from the folks at the World Athletics. They tell us that, so they're really excited about it. Everyone we talked to in Oregon from around the world had something great to say about the venue, so again, the venue really sells itself, and they love the community. The community really embraces the event, and we have every expectation that the community will continue to do so in the future," Long said.
Caban said the county's appeal goes beyond its facilities.
"We have a world-class facility, but really what makes Leon County special is we have world-class people, and it's about the people that live here that create this inviting culture for our neighbors here, so we want them to know that they have a home here and we want to be the destination and host the 2029 World Athletics cross country championship," Caban said.
County leaders say the Oregon trip is another step toward keeping Leon County on the international sports map and bringing another world championship back to Apalachee Regional Park.
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