UIPM 2026 Obstacle World Championships: United States come back to stun Russia in 4x100m Mixed Relay

The suspense and drama continued right to the end of the UIPM 2026 Obstacle World Championships as United States overcame Russia in the Elite Final of the thrilling 4x100m Mixed Relay.

When multiple individual world champion Luke Beckstrand (USA) took the baton from Jaleesa Himka (USA), he was in 2nd place, playing catch-up to Daniil Vitchkov (RUS) after a powerful leg from the phenomenal Anna Sedova (RUS). Perhaps no other racer in the world could have done what Beckstrand (USA) did, flying across the Big Wheels in two movements to overtake his rival and sprinting to the line for gold by a margin of 0.56sec.

It brought a dramatic conclusion to the competition finale, with Israel fittingly joining the Americans and Russians on the podium as they claimed the bronze medal.

Phenomenal 14-year-old Sedova (RUS) completed the set of medals with her Mixed Relay silver coming on the back of a 3km Mixed Team gold won earlier in the day. A team also containing individual 3km champion Igor Kriuchkov (RUS) and silver medallist Evgenii Stoiakin (RUS) proved too strong for mixed-nation teams from Denmark, Norway & South Africa (silver) and Italy & Sweden (bronze).