FIJI delivered a commendable performance at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, with national representative Yeshnil Karan achieving the country’s best-ever finishing position since its debut at the event in 1988.
Competing in the Senior Men’s 10km race, Karan finished 83rd out of 123 athletes, placing ahead of competitors from established athletics nations including China (four athletes), Mexico (two), India, New Zealand (two), Canada, Argentina, and South Africa.
He recorded an impressive time of 32 minutes 55 seconds, with splits of 9:26 at 3km and 16:09 at 5km, on a course widely regarded as one of the most demanding in recent years.
The Tallahassee course challenged athletes with repeated laps over steep hills, natural terrain, sand sections, mud, and barrier jumps, underscoring the unique demands of cross country running, a discipline that rewards endurance, strength, agility, and tactical awareness rather than pace alone.
This marked Karan’s debut at the World Cross Country level and formed a crucial part of his preparatory build-up towards the Oceania Athletics Championships and the Commonwealth Games.
Also representing Fiji, Ben Ashe completed the course in 37 minutes 7 seconds, improving on his performance from the 2023 World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst.
After several years away from competition due to injury recovery, Ashe’s return to form provides a positive platform heading into upcoming regional events, including the Oceania Championships.
Adding to the occasion, Australia secured victory in the Mixed Relay, with Ben’s partner, Linden Hall, a member of the gold-medal-winning team.
The result marked a significant achievement for Australia in a discipline traditionally dominated by African distance-running powerhouses.
Karan’s steady progress, shaped through consistent training and competition alongside several Australian distance athletes and national team members, is increasingly proving an effective formula for sustainable performance gains.
Fiji’s performances in Tallahassee underline steady progress in distance running on the international stage and signal encouraging momentum as preparations continue towards major competitions in 2026.
