Ten years and 14 Australian teams into her representative career, firsts are rare for Linden Hall. Few items remain on her athletics bucket list, crossing off another this weekend at her World Cross Country Championships debut which doubles as a fairytale return to Tallahassee, Florida.
Five days out from the Mixed 4x2km Relay where Australia is touted as a gold medal prospect, the three-time Olympian picks up the phone no more than 200-metres from where she lived while studying and competing at Florida State University from 2011 – 2015.
The 46th instalment of the World Athletics Cross Country Championships will be held this Saturday at Apalachee Regional Park, home of the Seminoles, meaning Hall is not flying completely blind in her debut.
“One of the old apartments I lived in was on Airbnb and the host had the same first name as the sprint coach who was the owner back then. I sent him a picture and asked if it was him, turns out it wasn’t,” Hall says.
“I had a play-by-play of the entire course a couple of days ago from our old head coach. He talked me through basically every 100-metres and how it differs from when I ran it in college, hopefully he hasn’t told many people!”
On a nostalgic morning run, Hall can’t help but reflect on what her career has become. At 34-years-old, she set personal bests over 1500m (3:56.33), 3000m (8:30.01) and 5000m (14:43.61) in 2025 – conceding that 2026 is already looking vastly different to what was once imagined.
“When they announced Tallahassee as the host in 2023, I remember thinking that I might not make it to 2026. I’m pretty sure I asked someone at AA [Australian Athletics] if I could be a team manager or to find me a job, because I didn’t think I would still be running,” Hall says.
“I didn’t have a terrible college career, but I didn’t have an amazing college career. I’ve probably surprised myself and a few others with what I have been able to achieve.”
Selected to race in the Mixed 4x2km Relay alongside Olympic medallist Jessica Hull, Australian record holder Oliver Hoare and Jack Anstey, the Olympic finalist is bullish on bringing home a medal for her nation – a feat last achieved at Bathurst’s 2023 edition on home soil.
“I’m not sure who started the relay conversation. It was kind of just, if you’re in then I’m in. Australia’s depth is as good as anyone’s in the Men’s and Women’s 1500m right now, it suits the kind of athletes we have,” Hall says.
“We are lining up to win. Other people are talking about our team which gives you confidence that it’s not just us that think we are in with a genuine shot.”
Bringing a wealth of experience to the team which includes fellow Australian graduates from Florida State University in Lauren Ryan and Maudie Skyring, Hall also has ambitions of paving the way for her younger counterparts – many of who will represent Australia for the first time.
“These smaller teams sometimes lose that ‘team’ feeling. We are done and dusted in the first race and can spend the rest of the day cheering for the team. The juniors are up straight after us and hopefully we can help them on their first Australian team.”
The 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships will be held in Tallahassee, Florida on January 10. Australia’s full team of 28 athletes can be found HERE.
By Lachlan Moorhouse, Australian Athletics
Posted 6/1/2026
