Nepal Army’s Rokaya clinches Pokhara International Marathon title

POKHARA, Feb 13: Rajan Rokaya of Nepal Army has clinched the title of the 15th edition of the Safal Pokhara International Marathon Championship. The marathon competition was organised in Pokhara today by the Former Sports Persons Forum.

Rokaya completed the 42 kilometres marathon in two hours 28 minutes and 56 seconds. He bagged the cash prize of Rs 200,000 along with the trophy and the title. 

Similarly, Nepal Army athletes became successful in winning the second and third positions. Army's Gyan Prasad Bhattarai completed the marathon in second place in two hours 23 minutes and 48 seconds while Devi Raj Basnet took the third place completing the race in two hours 42 minutes and 33 seconds.  Bhattarai bagged the cash prize of Rs 100, 000 and Basnet Rs 75,000. 

Pradip Tamang of Panchthar who clocked two hours 54 minutes and eight seconds clinched the consolation prize of Rs 25,000 along with a trophy. 

Twenty-one kilometres half-marathon was also included for women athletes this time under the Pokhara Marathon. Rajpura Pachhain of Nepal Police clinched the title under the women category by completing the race in one hour 27 minutes and eight seconds. She won a cash prize of Rs 100,000 along with a trophy. 

Similarly, Ram Maya Budha of Jumla came in second place by completing the race in one hour 30 minutes and five seconds. She won a cash award of Rs 75,000. Brinda Shrestha of the Armed Police Force (APF) secured the third place by clicking one hour 31 minutes and two seconds. She bagged the cash award of Rs 50,000.  

Rekha Bista of Nepal Police finished the half-marathon in third place. She completed the race in one hour 36 minutes and two seconds, winning the consolation prize of Rs 15,000.

The marathon was flagged off from Pokhara Stadium. The route of the marathon was from the Stadium and back, passing through various places of the city.

Two hundred and nine athletes participated in the marathon while 29 women took part in the half-marathon.

Chief Minister of Gandaki Province  Prithvi Subba Gurung, member-secretary of the National Sports Council (NSC) Ramesh Kumar Silwal, president of Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC), Jeevan Ram Shrestha, Forum president Tej Bahadur Gurung among other officials presented the prizes and trophies to the winners.

Japanese athletes had clinched the title in the last edition of the Safal Pokhara International Marathon Championship.

This time there was no participation of foreign athletes in the race due to the coronavirus pandemic.