Athletics Federation of India announces six-member contingent for World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade

Championship to start on 30th march.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has assembled a strong six-person team for the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia on March 30th. The squad is a mix of experienced athletes and national champions. For the men, Kartik Kumar, 24, will lead the contingent. He was brilliant in his first senior-level international competition and won a silver medal in 10000m in the Asian Games last year, Kartik won silver with a timing of 28:15.38s.

Bronze medalist Gulveer Singh and national champion Hemraj Gujjar will join him. Singh recently broke a 16-year-old national record in the men’s 10,000m, running 27:41.81s to beat the previous mark of 28:02.89s set by Surendra Singh in 2008.

A 6 member Indian team will compete at World Cross Country Championships Belgrade 24. Men: Kartik Kumar, Gulveer Singh, Hemraj Gujjar. W: Ankita, Seema, Anjali Kumari.#WorldCrossCountry #Belgrade #Paris2024

— Athletics Federation of India (@afiindia) March 22, 2024

Despite a valiant attempt, he fell short of meeting the Olympic standard, as his time exceeded the qualifying mark of 27:00.00 for the Paris Games by more than 41 seconds.

The women’s team includes national champion Ankita, along with Seema and Anjali Kumari, who are all set to compete with equal determination and skill.

Belgrade, Serbia has won the bid to host the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships on March 30. The city will host this major sporting event two years after successfully hosting the 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships. The 2024 championships will take place in the Park of Friendship, located next to the Danube River in downtown Belgrade.

Trending Indian Sports articles

• Which Indian Shuttlers are in race to qualify for Paris Olympics after March 2024?
• Top 10 most followed sports in India in 2024
• Can Bajrang Punia, Ravi Dahiya still qualify for Paris Olympics 2024?
• Can Indian boxers still qualify for Paris Olympics 2024 after disappointment at 1st World boxing Qualifiers?
• List of Indian athletes to have secured qualification for Paris Olympics 2024

The World Cross Country Championships are renowned for their exceptional difficulty, considered even more challenging than the Olympics. Unlike the Olympics, where elite distance runners compete in separate events, the championships feature all competitors in one race.

This format amplifies the rivalry, as runners from all distances compete head-to-head. The championships have been a platform for numerous athletes, such as marathon legend Carlos Lopes, who later won at the Olympics.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram