KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 10

Olympian Hari Kumar Rimal won the title of the 14th Kathmandu Marathon here at the Dasharath Stadium today.

The Tribhuvan Army Club athlete Rimal finished the race in two hours, 40 minutes and 40 seconds to finish more than two minutes ahead of his TAC teammate Junesh Khadka, who came second in 2:42:59. Nepal APF Club's Rajan Chaudhary was a distant third in 2:55:47. Top three athletes received Rs 100,000, Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively.

In a bizarre management of the event organised by NRS Foundation headed by Nepal Olympic Committee General Secretary Nilendra Raj Shrestha, winner Rimal was forced to run extra three kilometres due to confusion about the course. Rimal followed the volunteers, led by Nepal Police vehicle, but they were also unaware of the route after he reached Bhaktapur.

Rimal was some 400 metres ahead of chasing pack but he suddenly fell two kilometres behind second-place Khadka after he was misguided by the volunteers.

However, Rimal managed to finish ahead of Khadka.

'This is a blunder on the part of the organisers as the volunteers were also unaware of the route. I was running behind the volunteers who were in cycle and escorting vehicle. But everyone was confused about the route,' added Rimal, who participated in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Only three athletes in marathon were able to finish the race inside the Dasharath Stadium after All Nepal Football Association asked the marathon organisers to leave the place three hours before the SAFF Women's Championship match. Other athletes ended their race outside the stadium, while the marathon organisers were forced to hold the presentation ceremony in front of Martyr Dasharath Chand statue, just outside the gate of the football ground.

The situation was similar in half marathon and 5km races as well. The runners were supposed to go towards Patan Durbar Square from Pulchowk but the volunteers asked them to go via Lagankhel. The athletes had to run extra two kilometres, while the route in 5km was shortened by the volunteers and the organisers changed the event to 3km later on.

Ironically, the World Athletics had approved course on Wednesday in cooperation with Association of International Marathons and Distance Races, which measured the route in August.

Subash Gurung came first in men's half marathon in one hour, 15 minutes and 21 seconds, finishing the race more than seven minutes ahead of Nawaraj Buda (1:22:22). Devraj Basnet THT (1:25:57) was third. In women's section, Rekha Bista finished first in 1:26:40, while Laxmi Thapa was a distant second with the timing of 1:46:58. Nilima Raut came third in 2:05:57, almost half an hour behind winner Bista.

Top three athletes in half marathon earned Rs 50,000, Rs 25,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively.

In the revised 3km category, Rajendra Tamang, Abhishek Padhkoti and Yam Raj Khatri claimed top three position in men's section, while Anju Khadka, Manisha Giri and Shreebi Maharajan claimed top three spots in women's section respectively.

In wheelchair category, Ramkaji Mijar, Deepak Shrestha and Arjun Dhungana claimed top three spots respectively in men's section, whereas Yami Jhakri and Laxmi Ghimire won gold and silver respectively.

Pravin Limbu and Saraswoti Bohara won gold medals in 5km (school) races, while Dharma Maharjan and Imla Pradhan won masters 3km titles.

A version of this article appears in the print on September 11, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.