Japanese run-away winners

Japanese runners ruled the day clinching the overall championship at the 7th Asian Cross Country Championship winning three out of the four events at the Royal Western India Turf Club, here on Sunday.

Japan won both the junior men’s and women’s events, and the senior women’s race, while China had to be content with the senior men’s event crown in this championship being held in India for the first time. In the overall championship, the second spot was taken by India, who wound up second in each of the four races.

The senior men’s event saw a different story being written. The Chinese troika of Hangang, Chen Ming Fu and Deng Hai Yang took the top three spots, but not without some drama. India’s Surendra Singh was later declared to be ‘not eligible’ for the medal. The reason — he was the fifth runner fielded by India in the event, with the limit fixed at a maximum of four runners per country. This gave Yang, who came fourth behind Singh, the third place.