[Photo: Supplied]

Pacific Games middle- and long-distance champion, Yeshnil Karan, has been selected to represent Fiji at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan next month.

He’s been selected to compete against the world’s best in the men’s 1500 meters.

Athletics Fiji says Karan’s selection crowns a period of exceptional performances on both the regional and international stage.

The former Tavua College student holds three national records in the 5,000m, 10,000m, and half-marathon events, and ranks second all-time in Fiji in the 1,500m, 3,000m, and 3,000m Steeplechase Events.

This year, he achieved a clean sweep of the number one national ranking across six events in the 1500m, 3,000m, 3,000m Steeplechase, 5,000m, 10,000m, and Half Marathon.

He is the only current Fijian athlete to have won gold medals at three consecutive Pacific Games cycles with a total of six gold medals across the 2022 Pacific Mini Games, 2023 Pacific Games, and 2025 Pacific Mini Games.

Athletics Fiji President, Joji Liga, says that Karan’s selection is a proud moment for Fiji Athletics and the nation.

Liga’s says the star athlete’s achievements are the result of dedication, hard work, and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence and Athletics Fiji is confident he will represent Fiji with pride, humility, and determination in Tokyo, and his performance will inspire many young athletes to follow in his footsteps.

Across the World Athletics rankings, in both the one-athlete-per-country and three-athlete-per-country categories, Yeshnil Karan’s four best events each feature among Fiji’s highest-ranked performances, reflecting exceptional range, versatility, and consistency at the highest level of international competition.

What makes Yeshnil’s achievements even more remarkable is his journey, as he was based in Tavua for much of the year, training without a proper track, a training squad, or an on-site coach.

However, through discipline, self-motivation, and strategic stints in Australia’s high-performance environments, he has prepared himself to compete with the best in the world.

His selection is not only a recognition of talent but also loyalty, resilience, and a sustained commitment to representing Fiji.

The World Athletics Championships will provide him with the opportunity to test himself against the very best in global competition, gaining valuable experience ahead of future Olympic cycles.

His recent performances include a half-marathon record of 1:07:14 at the 2024 Gold Coast Marathon Festival, a national 5,000m record of 14:22.50, and a 10,000m record of 30:19.92, breaking a 54-year-old record.

These results were achieved in high-quality fields in Australia within the official qualification period, alongside personal bests in the 1,500m (3:51.14), 3,000m (8:17.44), and 3,000m Steeplechase (9:02.08).

Regionally, Yeshnil is the Pacific’s top-ranked athlete in six events, a dominance built on tactical racing ability, speed endurance, and proven championship composure.

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