Juliana Sakat Represents Ghana, Reivers, at Worlds

TALLAHASSEE, FL - Iowa Western sophomore Juliana Sakat competed at the 46th World Athletics Cross Country Championships on Saturday afternoon, becoming the first Reiver and Ghanaian to run in the senior women's event.  

Sakat clocked a time of 36:28 in the five-loop, 10,000m course, which also featured four different obstacles along the way.  Her time was good for 56th place out of 90 runners that fielded professional runners from Kenya, the USA, Ethiopia, and many others who dominate the distance running scene.

"It feels good to be the first to represent my country in the World Cross Country Championships," said Sakat.  " I was very happy and proud to learn that I would be representing Ghana; it was a great feeling for me to compete on the world stage."

Agnes Ngetich of Kenya won the event with a time of 31:28, winning by 42 seconds.  The world 10K record-holder had the second-largest winning margin in the history of the World Cross Country Championships.  The team title went to Ethiopia with a mark of 19 points, 17 points ahead of Kenya and 18 points clear of Uganda.

"I am incredibly proud of Juliana and how she competed at this World Cross Country Championship," said Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Marc Bierbaum. "For being her first world competition, I thought she handled herself very well." 

This was just the third time that the United States hosted the world event; Boston hosted in 1992, and New York City hosted in 1984.

"It was a great experience that will help her in the future of competing in the Olympic marathon," added Bierbaum.  "World Athletics and the city of Tallahassee put on a top-notch event that was such an amazing weekend for all."

One of the most decorated athletes in Iowa Western Track & Field history, the eight-time national champion will now focus on helping the Reivers three-peat in the 2026 NJCAA Indoor Track & Field season and try to go back-to-back in the outdoor season.

SAKAT'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT IOWA WESTERN
Half Marathon Champion 
Cross Country Runner-up
Indoor 1000m Champion
Indoor Mile Champion
Indoor 3000m Champion
Indoor 5000m Champion
Indoor DMR Runner-up
Outdoor 1500m Champion
Outdoor 5000m Champion
Outdoor 10,000m Champion
Outdoor 4x800m Third place