Upcoming Event: Cross Country versus Adidas XC Challenge on September 18, 2026 at 5:15 p.m.
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Photo by: Duke Athletics
Dissa, Fitchen-Young Set for World Athletics U20 Championships
8/4/2026 10:54:00 AM | Cross Country, Track & Field
DURHAM, N.C.— Duke sophomores Soheib Dissa and Eli Fitchen-Young are set to race at the World Athletics U20 Championships at University of Oregon's Hayward Field, Aug. 5-9. Dissa will be representing Algeria on the international stage, while Fitchen-Young competes for the United States.
The event starts Aug. 5 with the 100-meter hurdles and concludes Aug.9 with the 4x400 relay. The first 3,000 steeplechase is set for the morning session Aug. 6, while the first round of the 1,500 comes that evening. Both finals are set for Aug. 8.
A steeplechase and 1,500-meter specialist on the track, Dissa spent his rookie season in Durham adapting to collegiate running. The native of Newtown, Connecticut ran in one cross country meet and a handful of track meets for the Blue Devils. He ran a personal best of 3:46.41 in the 1,500 at the Duke Invitational this spring and most recently clocked a 4:04.50 mile time at the Run Unbridled Track Fest. His best steeplechase time came this past May at the Widener Final Qualifier, crossing the line in 8:56.07.
Fitchen-Young, a Santa Cruz, California, product was solid in his first year as a Blue Devil. He competed at four meets during the cross country season and turned in his best performance at the ACC Cross Country Championships with a mark of 24:17.2. During the track and field season, Fitchen Young registered top-10 placements at all three meets he appeared in, including a win in the 1,500 (3:43.93) at the Wake Forest Invitational and a third-place run of 8:17.10 in the 3k at Duke Twilight.
The 2026 Duke cross country season gets underway Sept. 18 at the adidas XC Challenge.
#GoDuke
The event starts Aug. 5 with the 100-meter hurdles and concludes Aug.9 with the 4x400 relay. The first 3,000 steeplechase is set for the morning session Aug. 6, while the first round of the 1,500 comes that evening. Both finals are set for Aug. 8.
A steeplechase and 1,500-meter specialist on the track, Dissa spent his rookie season in Durham adapting to collegiate running. The native of Newtown, Connecticut ran in one cross country meet and a handful of track meets for the Blue Devils. He ran a personal best of 3:46.41 in the 1,500 at the Duke Invitational this spring and most recently clocked a 4:04.50 mile time at the Run Unbridled Track Fest. His best steeplechase time came this past May at the Widener Final Qualifier, crossing the line in 8:56.07.
Fitchen-Young, a Santa Cruz, California, product was solid in his first year as a Blue Devil. He competed at four meets during the cross country season and turned in his best performance at the ACC Cross Country Championships with a mark of 24:17.2. During the track and field season, Fitchen Young registered top-10 placements at all three meets he appeared in, including a win in the 1,500 (3:43.93) at the Wake Forest Invitational and a third-place run of 8:17.10 in the 3k at Duke Twilight.
The 2026 Duke cross country season gets underway Sept. 18 at the adidas XC Challenge.
#GoDuke
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