2025 UniSport Nationals Cross Country Championship Showcases Australia’s Best University Runners

The 2025 UniSport Nationals Cross Country Championship (Nationals Cross Country) took place over the weekend in Ballarat, Victoria on 23 August, marking the second year of the event.

Held in conjunction with the 2025 Australian Cross Country Championships, the competition brought together student-athletes from universities across the country to compete in men’s, women’s, and multi-class races alongside Australia’s best distance runners.

Races included Open Men and Women (10km), U20 Men (8km), U20 Women (6km), as well as Men and Women (3km).

The partnership with the Australian Athletics national event created a world-class environment, giving competitors the chance to test themselves against elite opposition while representing their universities.

Building on the success of its inaugural year, the 2025 event demonstrated the growth of cross country within the UniSport Nationals program and highlighted the talent, determination, and spirit of Australia’s university student-athletes, showcasing the next generation of distance runners.

Through events such as UniSport Nationals Athletics, a number of athletes have emerged as standouts, elevating the level of competition, setting a benchmark for performance, and further strengthening the profile of university distance running. That same calibre of athlete was carried into the 2025 UniSport Nationals Cross Country Championships, where their presence and performances continued to raise the standard of racing.

In the Open Men’s 10km, Logan Campbell from the University of New South Wales won first place in a time of 31:13. In the Open Women’s 10km, it was the University of Technology Sydney’s Bronte Oates who continued her domination this year by securing first in a time of 34:44 and winning her maiden Australian title on her 21^st birthday, as she arrived in Ballarat a clear favourite to win the open women’s title.

Their success on the course builds on their recent achievements on the track, as at the UniSport Nationals Athletics, Ms Oates won the 5,000m, setting a new event record as well as winning the Open Category. She also placed top five in the 10,000m at this year’s 2025 FISU World Summer University Games in Germany. Mr Campbell earned a bronze medal in the 5,000m at Nationals Athletics.

In the Women’s U20 6km, Orla Shackcloth from Monash University claimed gold in 23:20, and for the Men’s U20 8km, the University of Wollongong’s Harrison Baxter came away victorious, clocking a time of 26:16.

It was Monash University that ultimately topped the overall women’s standings for the 2025 UniSport Nationals Cross Country Championships, backed by a strong team performance across all events to achieve the top spot ahead of The University of Melbourne and Victoria University in second and third place, respectively.

For the men’s overall champion, it was The University of Melbourne who capped the scoreboard after a solid team display, ahead of the University of South Australia and The University of Newcastle.

The 2025 UniSport Nationals Cross Country once again highlighted the strength of university distance running, with athletes delivering competitive performances across all races.

For the full results of the 2025 Nationals Cross Country Championships, click here.