McGregor, Carlson, Gabrielson to World Cross

Katie McGregor, Andrew Carlson, and Matt Gabrielson have all been named to the USA squad for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa, Kenya on March 24, according to Team USA Minnesota President Patricia Goodwin.

McGregor (pictured, left) finished 7th in the women's 8K race at the USA Cross Country Championships last weekeend in Boulder. Carlson (pictured, below) was a mud-caked 11th in the men's 12K race after a fall in the final lap, Gabrielson was 12th.

Each gained spots on the 6-woman, 9-man teams by virtue of higher finishing runners opting out of World Cross. Team USA Minnesota's Jason Lehmkuhle, who finished an automatically-qualifying ninth in the men's race, declined his spot in order to focus on the Boston Marathon.

McGregor will run on her fifth consecutive World Cross Squad. Her top finish in the event was the 15th place she earned as a member of the bronze medal-winning Team USA squad at Lausanne-LaBroye in 2003.

"I am very excited to compete in Kenya," McGregor, said in the Team USA Minnesota press release. "I think it will be an amazing experience to visit the country and compete against the best runners in the world. This time we will have to prepare ourselves with plenty of vaccinations before the trip but all the extra effort will be well worth it."

Gabrielson will be making his third trip to World Cross; Carlson will be competing in the event for the first time.

USA Cross Note: Lost in our previous coverage of the event was Minnesotan Thom Weddle's victory in the 65-69 year-old division of the Masters 8K race in 38:53.

Photos courtesy of Team USA Minnesota (top) and Sean Hartnett (bottom.)