Three athletes from Potch Track Club (PTC) will represent South Africa this weekend at the upcoming 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida in the USA.
Luan Munnik and Christopher Swart (4x2km Relay team) as well as Andrea Steynberg (Junior Women’s 6km team) will fly Potch’s flag high against the world’s top athletes on Saturday, 10 January.
Munnik (current USSA 1500m champion) and Swart are seasoned campaigners at national and international level and will look to bring back a top 5 finish and possibly a medal in the relay event. As usual the toughest competition will come from athletes of the East African contingent of Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda.
Steynberg (matriculated at Potchefstroom Gimnasium last year) will look to continue 2026 in dominant form in her first full season out of high school. Steynberg had a superb 2025, where she placed fifth in the 800m final at the CAA U18 & U20 Championship in Nigeria. She also achieved numerous podium finishes at various Street Miles at the back end of 2025.
All three of these athletes are coached by Jean Verster.
NWU Olympian and well-known athlete, Elroy Gelant, was also chosen to represent SA, but he had to withdraw due to other international racing commitments in the Netherlands.
Here are the times to watch the World Cross Country Championships on Supersport Channel 208: (10 January 2026)
Mixed Relay: 16:45
U20 W: 17h:20
U20 M: 17:55
Women: 18:35
Men: 19:20
