India dominate Asia-Oceania Ultrarunning C'ships, retain men's individual and team gold

India has triumphed once again in ultra-running, securing both individual and team gold medals at the IAU 24-hour Asia-Oceania Ultrarunning Championships in Canberra, Australia.

Amar Singh Devanda led the charge, shattering his own national record en route to clinching the individual gold and propelling the men's team to a consecutive victory.

Devanda's remarkable feat saw him cover an astonishing distance of 272.537 km within the 24-hour timeframe, a significant improvement from his previous record. This accomplishment not only secured his individual gold but also contributed substantially to the Indian men's team's total distance, culminating in their retention of the team gold.

The Indian men's team, comprised of standout performers like Ullas Narayana and Saurav Ranjan, displayed remarkable endurance and teamwork, collectively covering a distance of 758.248 km. Their stellar performance overshadowed formidable opponents, with Australia and New Zealand settling for second and third place respectively.

In the women's category, Shashi Mehta emerged as the top-performing Indian, securing the eighth position in the individual competition by covering a total distance of 190.772 km. Despite her commendable effort, the Indian women's team, consisting of Mehta, Meenal Kotak, and Preeti Lala, finished fourth overall, falling short of podium contention.

Australia claimed the women's team gold with a total distance of 666.580 km, followed by New Zealand and Chinese Taipei. Notably, India's women's team had secured silver in the previous edition, showcasing the nation's consistent presence and competitive spirit in the ultra-running arena.