As the 60th National Cross-Country Championships approach in Ranchi, Jharkhand, top Indian runners are gearing up to secure spots in the Indian team for the upcoming Asian Cross Country Championships in Japan. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) will choose senior and junior athletes to represent the country in the international event. A total of 35 teams, including state units, will participate in the National Cross-Country Championships, with 732 athletes, including 328 females, confirmed for the competition.
The selection process will see the top four runners in each senior (men and women) and junior (men and women) categories being picked to join the Indian team. A 16-member national team will be formed, with eight slots reserved for women, to compete in the 18th Asian Cross-Country Championships scheduled for February 21 in Fukuoka, Japan. The distances for the races vary, with senior men and women covering 10km, junior men 8km, U20 women 6km, U18 boys 6km, U18 girls 4km, U16 boys 2km, and U16 girls 2km.
In a recent international competition, the 2026 World Athletics Cross-Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida, Gulveer Singh emerged as the top Indian runner in the individual 10km race, finishing 40th with a time of 30:39. Additionally, the Indian mixed relay team comprising Ajay Saroj, Pooja, Yoonus Shah, and Ankita secured the 12th spot in the 4 x 2km event, with each member covering a 2km distance.
