Pokhara International Marathon Started:
The Pokhara International Marathon has started with the objective of identifying Pokhara as a sports city. The marathon was inaugurated by Gandaki Chief Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung.
There are 209 male runners in the marathon. Similarly, 29 women runners have run in the women's 21 km half marathon. Routes of various roads in Pokhara have been decided for the race.
The competition has been organized under the slogan 'Sports for Health' with the objective of establishing Pokhara as a sports tourism city. Tej Bahadur Gurung, former chairman of the players' forum, said that players from Nepal, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay participated in the tournament.
Although they are foreign runners, they have not come to Nepal to run but have been living in Nepal, said Chairman Gurung. Athletes from 13 districts of Nepal participated in the marathon, said Keshav Pathak, chief executive officer of the forum.
According to him, players from Baglung, Tanahu, Myagdi, Parbat, Lamjung, Gorkha, Kalikot, Rupandehi, Dang, Palpa, Syangja, Dhankuta and Taplejung have registered their names. Similarly, departmental Nepal Police and Nepal Army runners have participated.
There are 29 participants including runners from 6 district and departmental teams in the women's 21 km half marathon. Accordingly, runners from Gorkha, Jumla, Kaski, Pyuthan, Darchula, Baglung, and departmental Nepal Army and Nepal Police have registered for the women's half marathon.
The competition, which is held every year on the first Saturday of February in Pokhara, has been phased out this year due to the risk of coronavirus infection. In the first phase, the main event of the competition today is the open marathon and women's half marathon competition.
The open 10 km women's and men's competition under the event will be held on Saturday the 14th of Chaitra. The 5 km boys and girls, women's and men's wheelchair competition for the disabled, and the 100-meter blind women's and men's race will be held on Saturday, 4th Chaitra.
The 'Run for Fun' event, which was held every time in the previous edition, has been postponed this time. The first-place winner in the marathon will get a cash prize of Rs 200,000, second place winner Rs 100,000, and third place winner Rs 75,000. In the women's half marathon competition, the first place winner will get Rs 100,000, the second-place winner will get Rs 75,000, the third-place winner will get Rs 50,000, and the consolation winner will get Rs 15,000.
