Darshan Singh, Varsha Devi secure maiden National Cross Country victories

Darshan Singh of Services and Varsha Devi of Railways finally kept their tryst with the men and women's crowns in the National Cross Country Championships by winning their 10 Km events in the picturesque but tough course, made more challenging by 60 per cent humidity and gusts of wind.

Having played key roles in their respective team's victories, their joy was enhanced even more as they claimed the South Asian titles as the second SAFF Cross Country Championships was run concurrently. They tasted international success on appearance, having had to miss out on the 2020 competition in Sri Lanka - postponed at first and then moved here.

After the early jostling for the lead, 25-year-old Darshan Singh was bunched in the front with his Services team-mates, Rajendra Nath, Deepak Singh Rawat, Dipak Suhaug, defending champion Parasappa Madevappa Hajilol and Railways Narendra Pratap Singh even before the runners were midway through the opening loop of 2km. He never lost rhythm or position.

Soon after Rajendra Nath and Darshan Singh pulled away from the others after the 5 Km mark, Darshan Singh stepped up the pace a shade to gain a handy lead. He was hardly challenged over the last two laps and won by a 24-second margin.

In the women's race, Rebi Pal (Uttar Pradesh) opened briskly but the six Railways runners dominated the race. The 27-year-old Varsha, silver medalist in 2020, pulled away from her teammates on the final of the five loops of 2 Km to win by a small margin. Gujarat's Reena Bachau Patel prevented a Railways' sweep of six places by beating last year's winner Sonika.

Uttarakhand's Akash Patel and Jharkhand's Ashakiran Barla won the men and women's Under20 events while Ritik Sharma, who hails from Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir and Aakancha Kerketta, originally from the Chota Nagpur belt, has been training in Nilgiris and competing for Tamil Nadu won the boys and girls u18 crowns.

One of Aakancha's training partners, Walter Kandulna, who traces his roots to Musurmu village in Palamu district in Jharkhand but represents Tamil Nadu, completed a hat-trick of medals in the National Cross Country Championships with a silver medal in the boys under-18 6km race to add to the under-16 gold in 2020 and silver last year.

( With inputs from ANI )