KATHMANDU: Nepal's Manikala Rai finished 19th in the Ladies' 10km Free event of cross-country skiing in the ongoing 8th Asian Winter Games in Japan on Tuesday,

The Nepali athlete completed the race in 21 minutes and 39.2 seconds at Shirahatayama Open Stadium in Sapporo. As many as 23 athletes had taken part in the event.

Rai is scheduled to compete in another cross-country event -- 15 Km Free Mass Race -- on February 26.

Meanwhile, the Nepal Olympic Committee said Nepali athletes are taking part in the Alpine skiing events that would begin tomorrow.