KATHMANDU, MARCH 16
A wheelchair marathon took place today at Exhibition Road, Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu.
Organized by the Bodhisattvas in Action (BIA) Institute, the race featured categories for both men and women, attracting over 200 participants.
The marathon route, stretching from Bhrikutimandap through Bhadrakali, Sahidgate, New Road Gate, Rani Pokhari, Jamal, Durbar Marg, and back to Bhrikuti Mandap.
The U.S. Special Advisor on International Disability Rights (SAIDR) Sara Minkara, along with U.S. Ambassador to Nepal Dean R. Thompson, joined the Wheelchair Marathon program.
During the program, Minkara, discussed the role of sports in building communities that uplift the value of persons with disabilities. She expressed appreciation for the Bodhisattavas in Action (BIA) Institute's work in providing skills and employment training for persons with disabilities, enabling them to participate fully in their community.
She also said adaptive sports help reduce broader societal barriers to participation, stating that when persons with disabilities see themselves on the field, they may find the confidence and passion to participate. She highlighted that representation plays a key role in countering the stigma that persons with disabilities are objects of pity or ridicule. She emphasized that representation doesn't stop with sport, adding, "We must also consider representations of persons with disabilities in film and television, both behind and in front of the camera. The greater the representation, the harder it is for persons with disabilities to be ignored. It's time that we are given the spotlight so society can truly see our value."
Minkara also expressed her concern about how the U.S. can help Nepal become a regional leader in adaptive sports.
Aishwarya Kumari Kumal clinched the title in the women's category with a time of 23:15:19, while the runner-up, Yami Jhakri Magar, and second runner-up, Rajani Rai, completed the race in 23:39:27 and 24:14:10, respectively.
Meanwhile, in the men's category, Ramesh Khatri emerged victorious with a time of 19:44:07, with Ram Kaji Mijar and Prem Bahadur BK finishing the race in 20:20:27 and 20:52:00, respectively.
Along with observing the program, Minkara distributed prizes to the winners, with cash prizes of Rs 25,000 for first place, Rs 15,000 for runners-up, and Rs 10,000 for second runners-up. The BIA Institute hosts the wheelchair marathon annually.
Additionally, the U.S. Embassy in Nepal has historically supported sports programs due to their unique capacity to transcend issues that would normally cause societal divisions, such as economic status, gender, and caste, etc.
