Ranchi Set to Host 60th National Cross-Country Championships; AFI to Select Squad for Asian Meet

Ranchi, Jan 23: The path to continental glory begins this Saturday (January 24) as India's elite distance runners converge at the Prabhat Tara Maidan in Ranchi for the 60th National Cross-Country Championships.

This high-stakes domestic season-opener serves as the official selection trial for the Indian national team heading to the 18th Asian Cross-Country Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, scheduled for February 21, 2026.

Athletics Federation of India (AFI) President Bahadur Singh Sagoo confirmed that a 16-member squad will be chosen based on the results in the Jharkhand capital. The top four finishers in each of the primary categories-Senior Men, Senior Women, Junior (U20) Men, and Junior (U20) Women-will earn their berths for the trip to Fukuoka.

Ranchi Championship Highlights

• Massive Participation: 35 teams from affiliated state units and sports boards are participating.
• Athlete Count: A total of 732 athletes, including 328 female runners, have registered.
• Distances: Seniors will tackle a 10km course, while Junior (U20) Men and Women will run 8km and 6km respectively. Younger age brackets (U18 and U16) will compete over shorter sprints ranging from 2km to 6km.

Building on Global Momentum

The championships come on the heels of the 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships held on January 10 in Tallahassee, Florida. Gulveer Singh, the reigning Asian champion, remains the man to beat after a strong 40th-place finish (30:39) against a world-class field in the USA.

India's mixed relay team also showed promise in Tallahassee, finishing 12th with a time of 24:13. Saturday's event in Ranchi will be critical to see if new talent can rise to challenge established names like Gulveer, Ajay Saroj, and Ankita as the 2026 season kicks into high gear.