With many fans claiming cross-country is a dying discipline that relies heavily on nostalgia for relevance, athletics coach Jared de Waal believes the Champions League Cross Country series is changing that perception.

The inaugural series concluded with a relay finale at Curro Serengeti on May 31, where De Waal’s Pythons team finished second overall behind Franco Oosthuizen’s Eagles. The Rhinos, coached by middle-distance legend Renè Kalmer and Elise Viljoen, claimed third place.

Designed to broaden participation and create a vibrant, inclusive atmosphere, the Tour de France-inspired competition featured four stages and a team-based format.

Among its innovations were green and polka-dot socks awarded to the winners of the first and second stages, while overall leaders across the opening three rounds earned the right to wear the coveted yellow jersey at the season finale.

De Waal, from Brakpan, believes the concept is changing how cross-country should be presented in South Africa.

“Cross-country is arguably the ultimate test of a runner. It demands a level of sheer strength and mental toughness that track and road running rarely match, yet it is too often underestimated.

“The Champions League Cross Country series is completely changing that narrative and redefining what the sport looks like in South Africa,” he said.

“We’ve built an ecosystem that brings athletes, coaches and parents together under a massive umbrella of support and development.

“Yes, it’s fiercely competitive, but we proved the ultimate concept this year – cross country can be an absolute spectacle and incredibly fun.”

De Waal, who coaches at Irun AC in Brakpan, guided a squad of 54 athletes to second place overall, with eight Pythons wearing yellow jerseys at the season finale.

“As their coach, my pride is through the roof. Despite being in the middle of exams, all 54 Python athletes committed to showing up and left everything out on the course.

“We saw personal bests fall and watched inexperienced runners fearlessly go toe-to-toe with South African champions.

“The spirit and dedication from our athletes and parents were unmatched from day one. The Pythons raced with heart, fought for every finish line and truly earned this second-place finish together.”

Brakpan was also represented in the series by twins Megan-Ann and Caleb Roberts, Donovan van Zyl, and sisters Mikayla and Melanie Mans.

The athletes delivered consistent performances throughout the competition, with several earning podium finishes in the individual standings. Megan-Ann emerged as the standout performer, securing gold in the U13 girls’ category.