Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University cross country and track and field alumnus Titouan Le Grix ('25) competed at the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Track and Field World Championships in Poland. After the qualifying rounds, Le Grix earned a spot in the 1500 meter final where his time of 3:42.69 allowed for a ninth-place finish overall. This was Le Grix's first bid to compete at the indoor world championships level.
 
Before his pursuit of professional running after his 2025 graduation, Le Grix was a track and cross country runner at Wingate University. As a Bulldog, he was no stranger to championship racing. Le Grix's victorious history includes back-to-back national steeplechase titles in 2024 and 2025, an indoor mile national title in 2025, a cross country national team championship in 2023 and multiple in-season meet wins through his years in the Blue and Gold.
 
Race Thoughts
 
Beginning with the qualification, Le Grix found joy in his preliminary performance.  "My qualification into the final with a very impressive last 100 meters in the prelims has to be up there as one of my favorite moments of the world championships." Le Grix says. 
 
But it was more than the time on track that the former Bulldog cherished. "My favorite moment was when I got to share this with my former WU head coach Pol Domenech," Le Grix says. "This has been a very long journey together with ups and downs. It really meant a lot for the both of us to share the experience at the highest level possible."
 
College vs. The Pros
 
When asked about his transition into the professional level, Le Grix is very transparent.  "To be fully honest, my preparation hasn't changed too much as well as my training," Le Grix says. "I've been able to be more consistent, putting more work in without having classes and being able to shape my season the best way possible to perform when the moment matters." In comparison to his collegiate season's scheduled requirements, Le Grix says…"Now we race when we are fully prepared to provide performances."
 
"Coming here to Wingate five years ago, both Coach Pol and I learned a lot from each other and that's what made the difference," Le Grix says. His and Coach Domenech's relationship goes deeper than distances on a workout. "...we have a really good relationship as humans but even more as an athlete and a coach," Le Grix adds. "He knows my pros and cons and how to work with me to be the best possible. I believe we are making one of the best teams in the world at the minute and hopefully the best one in the next few years."
 
Acclimatizing to the World Stage
 
How does one know they're capable of being world class? Le Grix found it already as a Bulldog. "I always thought I could compete at the worlds stage, but on my last two years having won four national championships, being so many times All-American and achieving a D2 record made me realize that I was made for the sport, that good things are waiting for me out there as long as I keep working hard and being surrounded by the people that want my success as well," Le Grix says. Yet intuition always led toward his eventual success. "I think I always knew I could make it this far deep inside me," Le Grix adds.

Wingate University
 
Wingate University is a lab of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina and offers 60 degree pathways, including 37 undergraduate majors, 10 pre-professional tracks and five dual-degree programs. Graduate students choose from seven master's and five doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a leader in healthcare education where nearly one in five undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 30 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 17 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.
 
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(Editor's note: Senior exercise science major Charlie Smoak contributed this article. Smoak is a four-year member of the WU triathlon team who helped the Bulldogs win the 2025 and 2026 national championships.)