Everest Marathon held today marking Everest Day 2019

KATHMANDU: Everest Marathon 2019 has been held today in the Everest region. The marathon is organised every year on May 29 as part of the Everest Day celebrations.

Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon is an international high altitude adventure sports event held from Mt Everest Base Camp, crisscrossing the high sherpa trails of Khumbu valley, according to the Marathon's official website. The Marathon celebrates the historical ascent of Mt Everest by Late Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary on May 29, 1953.

A total of 223 trail runners participated in the event, out of which there were 158 foreigners including the British Envoy Richard Morris and 65 Nepalis, according to the Coordinator of the Marathon, Shikhar Pandey.

Suman Kulung ranked first in the marathon today completing the race in three hours 47 minutes and 16 seconds. The second and third positions were taken by Kapilder Buda and Ram Kumar Raj Bhandari. They completed the race in three hours 36 minutes 10 seconds and three hours 58 minutes respectively.

Kulung bagged a cash purse of Rs 200,000 while Buda and Bhandari took home Rs 100,000 and 75,000 respectively, shared Pandey.

The 2019 Marathon is the 17th edition of this event. Runners from all over the world can participate in their desired categories -- 60-km Extreme Ultra, 42-km Full Marathon, and 21-Km Half Marathon.

The event was attended by the Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Manjeev Singh Puri, among others.

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