The U SPORTS Cross Country Championships in Kelowna, B.C., brought together the top cross country teams from across the nation on Nov. 9. Among the nation’s top talent, the Men’s Cross Country team claimed first place overall, with the Women’s team finishing fifth overall.
Jude-Wheeler Dee, ConEd ’26, Roman Mironov, Comm ’25, and Miles Brackenbury, ConEd’25, sat down with The Journal to reflect on what securing a National Championship for Queen’s meant to them, and how their individual efforts contributed to this success.
Brackenbury, who finished 98th overall with a time of 0:25:11, shared his initial reaction to learning the Men’s team had clinched the title.
“Cross country’s one of those sports where you cross the line and don’t necessarily know you’ve won. There’s a certain waiting game involved, so you’re held in suspense. Then, when it’s real, all the emotions swell up,” Brackenbury said.
“For me, just as a veteran leaving this team, it’s great to see this team and this program, both the Men’s and Women’s teams, in such an amazing position. To see the progress that’s been made over the last four years, to win it with these guys, who are my best friends, there’s no better way to go out,” he added.
Wheeler-Dee and Mironov were the highest placed Gaels, both recording identical times of 0:23.49. Wheeler Dee was awarded 13th overall, while Mironov took home 14th.
The dynamic duo spoke a bit about their competitive relationship, which has brought their friendship closer while driving them to outdo each other both in the gym and on the track.
“I’d like to say we push each other to be better as a group, but when I get to the workout and this guy [Mironov] is standing right beside me and we got a 20-minute session, I’m trying to drop him as hard as I can. It’s a brotherly competition thing, and I think we all just push each other and all have the same goal at the end of the day,” Wheeler-Dee said.
Living in a house with 12 cross country athletes, the team’s bond extends beyond competition.
“Once I get to the start line, it’s us over everything else. I think we function like a family, if one guy is doing something, I’m doing something, if someone’s going to lift weights, I want to go to weights now,” Wheeler-Dee added.
Mironov spoke about the pressure living with Wheeler-Dee, one of the nation’s top runners.
“When Jude’s pulling away from the group, the first thought in my mind is, ‘I’m not going to let him have this. I’m not going to hear about this when I get home.’”
Clearly, the close-knit group thrived on this competitive energy, with all Gaels’ finishing within the top 100 racers at Nationals.
On the Women’s side, the Gaels secured fifth overall, with their highest finisher being Alyshia Alkerton ArtSci ’25, who crossed the line 13th overall with a time of 0:27:39.
Alkerton, as well as Wheeler-Dee and Mironov earned U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian honours for their outstanding performances.
As the outdoor cross country season winds down with dropping temperatures, the Gaels will take a brief two-week break to reset mentally. Soon after, the indoor track season will commence, where Wheeler-Dee is expected to continue his reign as one of Canada’s top runners.
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