notowenmantie :
Here me out, make it like American High school cross country. A total team of 14 of each country's best runners. 7 Varsity or "Elite Heat" of runners, and 7 Junior Varsity or "Amatuer" Runners. Score it like golf and we got Olympic Cross Country.
All 193 Countries could send any amount of runners 1-14, and they can win Olympic medals in the Elite heat individually they obviously podium 1 or 2 or 3 obviously, but sending at least 5 runners has the opportunity to team score, with obviously the top 3 teams aka all 5-7 runners getting Olympic Medals. Make it 2 days, Prelims and Finals with only the Finals Day counting for Olympic Medals, so the Countries sending xc teams have a reason to send them. Think about it, a country can score 1 gold if they send 1 individual and he or she makes it 2 rounds to win 1 gold, or a country takes a gamble and sends at least 5-7 runners and if that teams wins the new Olympic XC finals, then all 5 of those runners get a gold, 5 gold medals. There's so many courses to choose from all over the world, with especially America having the most. And Obviously finally make it 10k men and women Varsity/ elite heat and 8k the amatuer heat so it's longer to where only the best of the best runners can succeed without speeding through it, but short enough to where smaller not as talent heavy countries can still have a chance.
2026-02-27 01:59:07