OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Izabelle Trefts (Sr.) from The Evergreen State College women's track and field team and Evergreen Assistant Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Katie Burnett will represent the United States at the 2026 Caixa World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships on Sunday, April 12 in Brasilia, Brazil. Trefts will compete on the USA Track and Field team in the half marathon race, while Burnett will be part of the USATF team in the full marathon race.

It is the first time that the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships will be held in the southern Hemisphere.

"Since the day Katie and I started coaching Izzy, we made qualifying for Team USA a goal," said Evergreen Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Joel Pearson. "Watching her qualify in Florida was a memory I won't forget. What an incredible achievement. Izabelle Trefts, National Champion, National Record Holder, Team USA qualifier for Worlds.

"Congrats to Katie on making her 18th team for USA," Pearson added. "As always, I stay incredibly impressed and inspired by Katie and am honored to be her coach."

The U.S. team in the women's marathon includes five competitors. In addition to Burnett, other members of the team are Maria Michta-Coffey, Lydia McGranahan, Stephanie Casey, and Katie Miale. Fourth athletes will compete for the U.S. in the women's half marathon. They are Trefts, Lauren Harris, Miranda Melville, and Angelica Harris.

This year's World Team Championships in race walking will include 333 athletes from 40 countries. There will be 114 women and 140 men participating in the marathon and half marathon events. 

Trefts qualified for the U.S. team event by earning second place in the USA Track & Field Half Marathon Race Walk World Team Trials on March 8. Burnett qualified for the U.S. team when she took second place in the women's race at the USA Track and Field Marathon Race Walking Championships on January 11.