Kathmandu, February 19, 2007

A 10-year-old boy from Bardiya stunned the athletics world when he completed the full marathon here today. Born to Purna Raj and Rita Devi on January 11, 1997 in Banke, Ram Chandra Raj Neupane completed the 42.195 kilometres in three hours 55 minutes and 02 seconds, a record by a kid athlete.

The organisers, Social Aspect Volunteer Service (SAVS), said they would now take the initiative to put Neupane’s record in the Guninees Book of World Records.

The race was organised to mark the Democracy Day. Neupane, who started running at the age of three, had earlier run 3-km, 15-km and 35-km. He ran the three kilometres in 15 minutes at the age of three, then completed the 21-kilometre distance in two hours and five minutes and 27.4 kilometres in three hours 10 minutes at the age of seven.

In 2004, he ran 30.4 kilometres in three hours, six minutes and 27 seconds. Today, Neupane ran the full marathon and now aims to represent the country in 2016 Olympic Games. “I am very happy today,” said Neupane after completing the race.

He also said that he wanted to do something for the country. “I never felt difficulty in running. I have been running since the past seven years and I never feel tired,” added Neupane, who was fit and fine even after completing the marathon.

After running the first 15 kilometres, he took off his shoes at Swayambhunath temple and ran the remaining distance on socks only.

Visa facilitation could double Chinese tourists

Despite a strong will to visit Nepal, Chinese tourists from southern parts of China like Guangzhou and Shenzen are forced to change their itinerary and opt for other destinations due to absence of any Nepali diplomatic representation there.

The Chinese tourists visiting Nepal have to go either to Nepali consulate in Hong Kong or Shanghai or travel up to Beijing to get their visa stamped.

Although Chinese tourists are entitled for a gratis-visa by Nepal, China’s immigration law don’t allow its citizens to travel abroad without visa. “Many Chinese tourists want to visit Nepal to have a different taste of adventurous journey.

Many of them have already been to developed cities like Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and even to Europe and now they want to explore new destinations with difference,” says Weng Jinzhao, managing director at the Guangzhou Camford Company Ltd.

Since Nepal has already been listed as an outbound tourist destination by China, Weng says there is a huge potential of Chinese tourists visiting Nepal.

“But many of them, particularly from Southern parts including Guangzhou and Shenzen, are facing problems as they have to go to somewhere else for the visa stamping. This increases the overhead expense,” he adds.