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Julia Paternain

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Julia Paternain
Personal information
NationalityUruguay, United Kingdom
Born (1999-09-29) 29 September 1999 (age 26)
León, Guanajuato, Mexico
EducationUniversity of Arkansas[1] BA Psychology & MBA
Hills Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Parent
Sport
SportAthletics
Event
Long distance running
Achievements and titles
Personal bestsMarathon 2:25:47 (2026) NR
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  Uruguay
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place2025 TokyoMarathon

Julia Paternain (born 29 September 1999) is a long-distance runner who represents Uruguay internationally. She was a bronze medalist in the marathon at the 2025 World Athletics Championships and holds the Uruguayan national record in the distance.[3]

Early life

[edit]

Paternain was born in Mexico to Uruguayan mathematicians Gabriel Paternain and Graciela Muniz. At two years old she moved to England.[4] She competed as a member of Cambridge & Coleridge Athletic Club in England.[5] She won the English Schools title over 3,000 metres in Gateshead in 2017, taking nine seconds off her personal best to win in 9:30.74, and retained the title again in 2018.[6][7] She represented Great Britain at the 2019 European Athletics U23 Championships, placing sixth in the 10,000 metres race.[8]

NCAA

[edit]

Paternain moved to the United States in 2018 to attend Penn State University for two years before transferring to University of Arkansas for three years.[9] She earned 2019 NCAA Division I Mid-Atlantic Region Cross Country honors after placing ninth. Paternain earned 2023 All-SEC Outdoor Track and Field honors after placing second in the 10,000 meters.

representing Arkansas Razorbacks
2023NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships5000 m16:15.0846th
Southeastern Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships10,000 m35:07.762nd place, silver medalist(s)
5000 m16:25.808th
2022Southeastern Conference Cross Country Championships6 km21:16.557th
20212021 NCAA Division I cross country championships6 km20:56.2171st
Southeastern Conference cross country championships21:17.528th
2020Redshirt
representing Penn State Nittany Lions track and field
20192019 NCAA Division I cross country championships6 km21:38.5151st
Big Ten Conference cross country championships21:19.244th
2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships5000 m17:13.8222nd
10,000 m33:55.5325th
Big Ten Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships10,000 m33:22.916th
20182018 NCAA Division I cross country championships6 km21:17.4125th
Big Ten Conference cross country championships20:22.910th

[10]

Professional

[edit]

Paternain switched her international athletics eligibility from Great Britain to Uruguay in January 2025.[11][12]

Paternain worked at the West Coast Conference for one year while she healed from her college injuries. She later moved to Flagstaff, Arizona and was then a project manager at Ohio University, working remotely.[13] Paternain met her training partner, Danielle Shanahan Polerecky, and her future coach, Jack Polerecky in Flagstaff.[14]

She turned her attention to road races and began training with the McKirdy Training Group. At the Twin Cities 10 Mile from Minneapolis to St. Paul, Paternain finished fifth in 53:26.[15][16]

In November 2024, she edged Sara Hall by ten seconds to take second at the Indianapolis Half Marathon, running 1:10:15 behind Emma Grace Hurley.[17] In March 2025, she ran a Uruguayan national record in the marathon on her marathon debut, running 2:27:09 in Rockland Lake State Park, New York.[4][18]

In 2025, Paternain signed a multi-year endorsement contract with Saucony.[19][20]

2025 World Athletics Championship

[edit]

Paternain was a bronze medalist representing Uruguay in the marathon at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan in 2:27:23. It was the first medal won by Uruguay at the Championships.[21][22][23]

Paternain entered the race ranked 288th in the world and was not expected to place for a medal.[24]

Paternain ran a new personal best and national record of 2:25:47 at the 2026 London Marathon, finishing eighth.[25]

representing Saucony &  Uruguay
2025 McKirdy Micro - The Road to Tokyo Congers, New York
Rockland Lake State Park		 Marathon 2:27:09 1st place, gold medalist(s)
World Athletics Championships Tokyo Marathon 2:27:23 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
2026 London Marathon London Marathon 2:25:47 NR 8th
[edit]

Julia Paternain on Instagram

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "Julia Paternain Season 2019". Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  2. ↑ "La historia detrás de Julia Paternain, bronce en el Mundial de atletismo en Tokio 2025" (in Spanish). El Osservador. 14 September 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  3. ↑ "Julia Paternain". World Athletics. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Julia Paternain made her marathon debut, setting a new national record". Montevideo.com. Retrieved 14 Sep 2025.
  5. ↑ Taylor, Mark (5 July 2019). "Cambridge & Coleridge Athletic Club trio to represent Great Britain". Cambridge Independent. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  6. ↑ Taylor, Mark (14 July 2017). "Siobhan Skinner hails the efforts of Cambridgeshire athletes at English Schools' AA Championship". Cambridge Independent.
  7. ↑ Nelson, Craig (14 Sep 2025). "Ex-English schools champion makes history for Uruguay". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 Sep 2025.
  8. ↑ Taylor, Mark (17 July 2019). "Julia Paternain pride at Great Britain debut in European Under-23 Championships". Cambridge Independent. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  9. ↑ "Julia Paternain". University of Arkansas. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  10. ↑ Julia Paternain NCAA results TFRRS
  11. ↑ "Paternain: three passports, one green card and an unexpected bronze medal". World Athletics. 14 September 2025.
  12. ↑ Julia Paternain smashed it in her debut representing Uruguay: she achieved four national record marks at the Houston Half Marathon 🔥🇺🇾 1️⃣ With 16.53, he set a 5K record. 2️⃣ With 33.34, he set a record in the 10K, improving Maria Pia Fernández's 35.44 in 2020. 3️⃣ With 1.08.15, she made a 20K record mark, improving Lorena Sosa's 1.13.28 of 2024 4️⃣ With 1.12.01, he set a record in the Half Marathon, improving Lorena Sosa's 1.17.13 of 2024 Impressive 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 #atletismoCAU Uruguayan Athletics Confederation
  13. ↑ ~12 minute timestamp - Julia Paternain - Putting Uruguay on the Map // The C Tolle Run Podcast // EP 431 The C Tolle Run Podcast
  14. ↑ The Countdown to London begins with Julia Paternain, Sophie Raworth and Harry Judd - are you ready?! Paula's Run Club
  15. ↑ Tollefson, Carrie; Brinkman, Kelly (October 6, 2024). WATCH LIVE: Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon. KARE 11. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  16. ↑ Zgoda, Jerry (October 6, 2024). "Connor Mantz, feeling chased the whole way, wins the Twin Cities 10-mile men's title". Star Tribune. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  17. ↑ "A Monumental Record-Breaking Day at the 2024 CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon" (Press release). PR Newswire. November 9, 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  18. ↑ Kelsall, Christopher (March 31, 2025). "Canada's Justin Kent runs a 2:09:28 marathon in New York". Athletics Illustrated. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  19. ↑ Seimas, Jim (March 14, 2025). "Accomplished Scotts Valley runner Jessica Kain signs with Saucony". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  20. ↑ juliapaternain_ 26w Eeek!!! I’m so happy to share that I will be running professionally for @saucony! I couldn’t be more excited to see what we can achieve together, alongside my coach @jack_polerecky and the @mckirdytrained team here in Flagstaff, Arizona 🏜️ Growing up, I played just about every sport under the sun before eventually sticking with swimming. I wanted to get into triathlons, but my hometown’s triathlon club had a waitlist—so in the meantime, I joined the running club. And I’m so glad I did! Fast forward almost a decade (ahhh), and little me would be amazed at where this sport has taken me. A special thank you to everyone who has played a role in my journey so far 🫶 I can’t wait to keep building, and I’ll see you all on the roads soon! #saucony 📷: @mr.nono500 Julia Paternain Instagram
  21. ↑ "Kenya's Jepchirchir wins women's marathon gold at worlds in Tokyo". Japan Times. 14 Sep 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  22. ↑ "World Athletics Championships: South American wins historic medal in the marathon". cnnbrasil. 13 September 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  23. ↑ "World Athletics Championships, Tokyo 2025". World Athletics. 14 Sep 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  24. ↑ "Paternain: three passports, one green card and an unexpected bronze medal". World Athletics. 14 September 2025.
  25. ↑ "TIGIST ASSEFA RETAINS HER LONDON CROWN WITH ANOTHER WORLD RECORD". Athletics Weekly. 26 April 2026. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
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