Allison Wasson Set to Represent Canada at U20 World Athletics Championships
July 29, 2026
Big congratulations to Allison Wasson, who has been named to Team Canada for the World Athletics U20 Championships, taking place in Eugene, Oregon, from August 5-9!
Allison is the only athlete from New Brunswick and one of just two athletes from Atlantic Canada selected for the team. She will compete in the women’s 1500m and 3000m events.
From Dieppe, Allison has been training and competing with Athlétisme Sud-Est / South-East Athletics (ASEA) since 2023. Over the past three years, she has represented New Brunswick at multiple national competitions, including the 2025 Canada Games in St. John’s.
We sat down with Allison to learn more about her journey to the international stage, what she’s most looking forward to at Worlds, and her goals for the future. Read the full story below!
Tell us about how you got into running. When did you realize running was something you wanted to pursue competitively, and what has your journey looked like since then?
I first started running when I was in grade nine because our school cross-country team needed one more runner. Since my older sister was on the team, I became that final runner. In October, after finishing second individually at provincials, my current coach, Peter Stuart, gave me a business card for his track club called ASEA. Although I received the card in October, I only joined in January because I was more focused on soccer and hockey at that time.
I realized that running was something I wanted to pursue in the summer of 2023 after competing at the Legion Nationals, where I ran a 20-second personal best in the 2000m, placing me fourth in the country. Since then, I have stopped playing hockey and soccer in order to focus on running. This decision has helped me win 11 national medals, get 11 provincial records, and three School Sport New Brunswick records.
You were just named to Team Canada for the U20 World Athletics Championships. What does this mean to you, and what are you looking forward to most about competing in Oregon and representing Canada?
Being named to Team Canada for the U20 World Athletics Championships is very exciting. It’s rewarding and motivating to see all of the hard work I’ve been putting in over the years lead to an opportunity like this. I am looking forward to competing against the best U20 athletes from all over the world and gaining experience on the international stage.
Have you had any role models or mentors who have helped you along the way? How have they influenced your journey?
My biggest mentor is my coach Peter. He has believed in me and challenged me since I first showed up to the track in January 2023. Peter has helped me develop on and off the track by teaching me the importance of confidence, consistency, and patience, lessons I will carry throughout the rest of my life.
Coming from a smaller province like New Brunswick, what does it mean to have the support of your community and the province behind you?
Coming from a smaller province like New Brunswick is great because everyone in the running community knows and supports each other. It’s very special to know that I always have a group of people at home cheering me on no matter where I am. I hope that representing Canada will inspire children in New Brunswick to dream big even though they come from a smaller province.
As a high-performance athlete, what skills have you developed through sport that have helped you in your everyday life?
Running has taught me many important lessons that carry into my everyday life. The biggest one is time management. In grade eleven, I was balancing school, running, and soccer, and it was a real struggle at first. Over time, I learned to prioritize the important things and make the most of my time. These skills also helped me balance running with a heavy course load this past year and will continue to help me next year as I head off to university.
What’s next for you? What are your goals looking forward?
My immediate focus is competing at the U20 World Athletics Championships. After that, I will be heading to the University of Connecticut to study exercise science and run cross country and track. Since all of this is very new and different from anything I have done before, it’s a little hard to set goals, but overall, I just want to keep having fun, meeting new people and getting faster at running.
What advice would you give to younger girls looking to follow a similar path, whether in athletics or in another sport?
I would say the biggest thing is to make sure that it always stays fun. Of course, it’s important to work hard and be focused, but having fun makes it easier to stay motivated and keep improving.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I am very grateful for my family, friends, and coaches in helping me get to where I am today. I am looking forward to representing Canada at the U20 World Athletics Championships.
