Namche Bazaar, May 29:

Dipak Raj Rai of Nepal won the Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon on Tuesday, completing the gruelling high-altitude route from Everest base camp in 3hrs, 59mins, 24secs.

“I am very excited to win the world’s highest marathon for the second consecutive time despite a leg injury,” Rai said. “It is a very tough race and you have to be physically and mentally fit,” said the 25-year-old from Gudel VDC of Solukhumbu district. Dangdima Sherpa, 27, of Bhakanje VDC of Solukhumbu finished second with the timing of 4:05:39 followed by Milan Rai, 21, of Gudel in 4:07:04. The top three winners received the cheque of $1,000, $500 and $300 respectively in the event organised by the Himalayan Expeditions.

Yangdi Lama Sherpa, also of Solukhumbhu, won the women’s race with the timing of 5:27:41. Yangdi was followed by Mingma C Sherpa (5:29:26) and Furbyanji Sherpa (5:36:51).

The annual race, which started in 2003, is held to commemorate the first summit of the 8,848-metre peak by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary on May 29, 1953. “This is the world’s highest altitude marathon and the most challenging race in the world and we are trying to develop it as a major extreme high altitude adventure sports event,” president of the organising committee Bikrum Pandey said.

In all, 136 runners, including 53 foreigners, took part in the 42.195-km race. It started at the bottom of the Khumbu Icefall at around 5,400 metres next to Everest base camp and ended in Namche Bazaar, a popular trekking base at 3,446 metres.

Among the competitors was a blind Irish runner Mark Pollock along with Japanese runners Toshio Chamari and Toshi Omari, the participants in more than 140 marathons.

France’s Antoine Bonafics won the foreigners’ category, completing the course in 4:51:10. “This is a very difficult marathon. There are lots of ups and downs and my muscles are too tired,” Bonafics said. Alan Hiton (6:06:15) of England and Tom Dukaskas (6:06:47) ended up second and third respectively in the foreigner’s category.

The top three winners of the women and foreigners’ categories were awarded with $500, $300 and $200 respectively.