KATHMANDU, MARCH 15
Santoshi Shrestha has established herself as a synonym to gold medal. She has developed the habit of finishing first wherever she goes.
In short, she has earned a new name in sporting fraternity - Golden Girl.
The journey to glory actually began in December 2019 when Nepal hosted the 13th South Asian Games.
She became the first Nepali woman athlete to win gold medal in an international event. And she created the history in style, beating an Indian athlete by 10 milliseconds in 10,000-metre race.
In a field dominated by athletes from three departmental teams, Tribhuvan Army Club, Nepal Police Club and Nepal APF Club, Shrestha created a distinct place for herself. And the athlete from Dhading - who entered the field of athletics 14 years ago - has been a dominant force. She has bagged gold medals in all 10 events she took part since finishing first in the South Asian sporting extravaganza.
She started her career as a middle distance runner and the 13th SA Games turned her fortunes. Shrestha believes nothing is impossible and it takes courage and hard work to reach the summit.
Off late, Shrestha has extended her field to long distance off late. She competed in three half marathons and won all of them - Nepalgunj Marathon, Run For Protein and CoAS Open Marathon.
Shrestha set a new national record in Run For Protein half marathon after she completed the 21-km distance in one hour, 14 minutes and 14 seconds, breaking the previous mark of 1:18:28 held by Nepal APF Club athlete Kanchhi Maya Koju.
Shrestha has busted two myths of Nepali sports fraternity.
First, she has balanced sports and education.
She reached the summit in athletics and has already completed Master in Public Administration. She is also studying Post-Graduation Diploma in Dietetics and Public Health Nutrition.
Secondly, Shrestha became a champion athlete from outside the three departmental teams.
Despite being a dominant force in Nepali athletics, Shrestha has been deprived of international participations.
Except for SA Games on home soil, she has not re-
ceived any opportunity to represent the country in international arena. "I am not getting any chance may be because I am not affiliated to any departmental team," she had reacted after winning the half marathon in CoAS Open Marathon. But she has already started her preparations for the Asian Games at a time when the concerned authorities had even decided on the number of sports disciplines and events for this year's Asiad to be held in China.
Her fame on home soil has earned her the nomination in People's Choice category of the Pulsar Sports Award organised by Nepal Sports Journalists Forum under the sponsorship of Hansaraj Hulaschand and Company Pvt Ltd.
She is in race with footballer Anjila Tumbapo Subba, junior World No 1 shuttler Prince Dahal, cricketer Kushal Bhurtel and table tennis player Elina Maharjan. The winner will be decided through public votes received via e-Sewa, social media platforms, national coaches and sports journalists.
The 18th edition of the award, slated for March 22 at the Nepal Academy, features eight categories - Player of the Decade (male), Player of the Decade (female), Coach of the Decade, Para-athlete, Special, Lifetime Achievement, Asian Sports Journalist and People's Choice.
Winners of male, female, coach and people's choice will get Pulsar motorcycle each, while other four individuals will receive Rs 50,000 apiece and gift hampers.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 16, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
