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Nepalese runner wins world’s highest marathon

Beating 149 other participants, 26-year-old Nepali Sudip Juglug Rai bagged first place in the "World's Highest Marathon".

He completed the annual Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon in three hours, 42 minutes and nine seconds. Impressive considering he, along with other participants, started the race at 5,160m above sea level.

Oh yes, he was running on snow.

Marathon participants usually are usually dressed in light clothing and running shoes on the account of them having to run a 42.2km long race but participants in this race, which is held on Mount Everest, wore trekking equipment and snow goggles as they made they way to the end point, a place called Namche Bazaar, 3,560 metres above sea level.

The race

Held since 2003, the race was first organised to mark the anniversary of the very first summit of Mount Everest by Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary on May 29, 1953 reported AFP.

The runners were initially supposed to start the race at Everest Base camp - 5,364 metres above sea level - but bad weather forced them to move the starting point 204 metres below to a place called Goraksheep.

A marathon participant all smiles at the start of the race. Photo: AFP/HIMEX

“This year the race was tough and dangerous. It was chilling cold for last three days,” said Robert Celinski, a Polish participant.

Every year, marathon runners intersect with Everest climbers on their way home, but this season, the world’s tallest peak shut down after a massive ice avalanche killed 16 Nepalese guides last month.

Source: AFP

MarathonUncategorisedMount Everest