Moh Ahmed, who has earned seven Canadian senior titles from track running over 18 years, picked up his first on grass Saturday.
In his long-awaited return to cross-country nationals, Ahmed took over the open men’s 10-kilometre race about two km the finish on a partially snow-covered course and won in 29 minutes 30.4 seconds at Fanshawe Golf Course in London, Ont.
“I was slipping and sliding out there, so you never know [if you’ll maintain a lead]. That’s what makes cross-country different than track, the elements beat you up,” Ahmed told Athletics Canada following his first race at the event since a second-place finish in 2012 at Vancouver’s Jericho Beach Park.
Ahmed and eight others among the top 10 are eligible to be selected by Athletics Canada for the World Athletics Cross-Country Championships on Jan. 10 in Tallahassee, Fla.
Andy Wacker, the early leader on Saturday, was seventh but isn’t eligible as he’s American.
Saturday was the first race for the 34-year-old Ahmed since Sept. 14 when the St. Catharines, Ont., native exited early from the 10,000-metre final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo after aggravating a left calf strain.
It was also the first time he completed a race since Aug. 30, 2024 in Rome.
“I was very determined and adamant to finish,” he said. “I didn’t know how my calf was going to hold up [in the minus-5 C temperature] but I think it’s in good shape.
“I didn’t want to underestimate anybody. If I’m the [pre-race] favourite, I don’t get comfortable. You never know. People can have a [career-best] day.”
Quebec’s Xavier Peras-Phaneuf, who was second at cross-country nationals last year in London in the men’s U20 race, finished behind Ahmed in 29:46.1.
Santiago Gaitan of Welland, Ont., placed third (29:48.2). On Oct. 4, the 24-year-old ran the St. George Half Marathon in Utah in one hour 55 seconds, the second fastest all-time among Canadian men behind Cam Levins (1:00:18).
Philippe Morneau Cartier of La Pocatiere, Que., who was fresh off his third straight U Sports cross-country title, was sixth (29:56.3).
On a course designed to provide runners with rolling terrain (uphills/downhills) and technical elements such as jumping over hay bales, Wacker led a field of 123 athletes by 4.7 seconds after the opening lap on the two km loop course, extended his advantage to 6.7 seconds through four km but saw his lead shrink shortly into his third lap.
Ahmed, who sported a dark toque, gloves, shorts and long-sleeve top – the latter under a white, orange and yellow singlet – soon ran up on Wacker’s outside shoulder and took the lead for good.
“A lot of the guys looked really, really good,” said Ahmed, who did a practice run of the course on Friday. “These guys are young, sharp and they’ve been running cross-country [for years] and are used to the elements.”
Canadian runner Kate Van Buskirk, a 2021 Olympian in the 5,000 metres, praised Ahmed for a smart race.
“Moh, I think, used the first half to feel out the field, feel out himself and now he is taking off and showing why he’s the greatest of all-time in Canadian distance running. What a brilliant performance,” said Van Buskirk, an analyst for Athletics Canada TV, said on Saturday’s broadcast.
At his best, Ahmed has covered 5,000 metres in 12 minutes 47.20 seconds, been North America’s fastest runner in the distance and Canada's first Olympic medallist in the 5,000 at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. He has also clocked 28:22 over 10 km on the road.
But the 2025 season was filled with injuries, from an Achilles tendon, to an adductor issue, back spasms and hamstring problems.
Meanwhile, Vancouver’s Ceili McCabe had her summer season wiped out by injury, but she returned to rule the open women’s 10 km competition for her second national title in three years after prevailing at Terry Fox Stadium in Ottawa in 2023.
The 24-year-old’s time of 32:57 was nearly a minute faster than Hamilton’s Chloe Thomas (33:53.4) and Florence Caron of La Malbaie, Que. (33:55.6).
Cross-country worlds will return to Tallahassee after more than 30 years and will attract hundreds of athletes from 60-plus countries. Races will be contested at Apalachee Regional Park, which has hosted over 75 national, state and local championships since 2012.
The course consists of rolling hills, forests and unique challenges like sand, water, mud, a roller-coaster element and obstacles inspired by wildlife.