Kathmandu, November 1:

Coming out of wilderness after two-years, Rajendra Bhandari won the third Kathmandu Open International Marathon organised by Kathmandu Athletics club here today.

Running the long distance race for the first time after completing the two-year doping ban, the Tribhuvan Army Club athlete completed the 42.195km distance in two hours, 22 minutes and 18 seconds to finish ahead of fellow teammate Arjun Kumar Basnet and APF athlete Arjun Dhakal.

The middle distance runner Bhandari, who won gold medals in 5000m and 3000m steeplechase at the 10th South Asian Games in Sri Lanka in 2006, was banned for two years after he tested positive for using nandrolone during the Colombo Games. He completed the ban on September 21.

“Though I am not a long distance runner, the timing in marathon is not bad and I cannot ignore it,” said Bhandari after winning the race. “I have been training regularly and is ready for any international events now,” confident as ever, Bhandari added.

Olympian Basnet finished second in 2:24:34, almost four minutes ahead of Dhakal, who came in 2:28:29. The top three runners received $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000 respectively.

Basnet, who ran the long distance for the third time in less than three months, said he was satisfied with his timing. Asked about the hazards of competing in three marathons in two months, Basnet said he had no choice. “I know it’s harmful, but we have no choice. We Nepali athletes have to run even twice in a month,” said Basnet, who won silver at the 10th SA Games. Basnet ran marathon in Beijing Olympics on August 24 and second Real Kathmandu International Marathon on September 20.

Dhakal, who boycotted the medal ceremony protesting the mismanagement, said the race was not fair. “The rules were broken by number of athletes and the volunteers and technical teams were partial,” he accused.

Purna Tamang, Bikash Shahi, Ananda Man Shrestha, Hom Lal Shrestha, Amar

Bahadur Shahi, Lok Bahadur Rokaya and Krishna

Bahadur Basnet completed the top 10 in marathon.

Meanwhile, Deepak Deshar of Jyoti Deep School won the boys’ 5-km race in 16 minutes 30.02 seconds, ahead of

Surendra Gwachha (17:30.04) and Krishna Maharjan (17:54.5). Sarita Basi of Basu School won the girls’ section in 21:29.9, while Sumitra Koju (21:39.9) and Anu Daudel (21:51.6) came second and third respectively.

In all, 68 athletes took part in marathon while 66 participated in boys and 35 in girls’ race. Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Tatsuo Mijuno, Member Secretary of National Sports Council Jeevan Ram Shrestha and Nepal Olympic Committee President Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan among others gave away prizes to the winners.