A local of Solukhumbu working as a loader at Lukla, the 22-year-old and a third year participant in the marathon, Tamang said he is elated to win the title consecutively for the second year. [break]
“I feel very happy to be running from the world´s highest altitude and becoming a winner,” he said.
Sudip Kulung Rai from Nepal Army completed the marathon in four hours, two minutes and 35 seconds to be the first runner up and Samir Tamang in four hours, five minutes and 10 seconds to be the third.
While Nepalis grabbed the second and third titles in the open category, participants from India snatched all three positions in the foreign category.
Shyam Kesho Singh from India won the foreign category in five hours, 15 minutes and 27 seconds; Amir Khan finished in five hours, 18 minutes, 27 seconds and Roshan Singh in five hours, 32 minutes and 27 seconds winning prizes of US$500, US$300 and US$200 respectively.
Singh said he was successful in completing his target of four hours, 30 minutes. However, he said he was sad that he couldn´t win in the open category, in which the Nepalis took al three positions.
“I fell down while I was running,” he said showing his hurt knee. “For a while I thought of withdrawing but I was practising it since last year. Maybe next year…,” the 27-year-old from the Indian Army said.
Likewise, in the women´s category, Ang Phuti Sherpa, Ming Phuti Sherpa and Mingma Lhoma Sherpa took the titles. Ang completed the race in five hours, eight minutes, 57 seconds, Ming in five hours, nine minutes, eight seconds and Mingma in five hours, 30 minutes, 41 seconds.
As the marathon runners entered the Chor Camp in Namche Bazaar, the representatives from Himalaya Expeditions, the organizers for the marathon, locals, foreign expatriates and celebrities welcomed them.
At Namche, French ambassador to Nepal Gilles-Henry Garault awarded the US$ 1,000 prize along with certificate and a medal to Phurba; the chief warden of Sagarmatha National Park, Lal Bihari Yadav, handed the US$ 500 award to Rai and Malaysian ambassador Dato´ Ilankovan Kolandavelu handed the US$ 300 award to Samir.
But before the runners reached Namche, they were greeted with cheers by the locals who sat outside their houses and hotels. Locals clapped and trekkers who came across the runners stood still and hooted.
And the participants said they were excited to see the locals cheering and also were happy to run trough the rough terrains in the marathon recorded as the world´s highest marathon.
Martin Krauss, the oldest runner in the marathon, said he participated “especially for the experience”.
“I will cherish this experience because it is something extraordinary,” said the 73-year-old who has ran more than 100 marathons including the New York and Boston marathons.
While the 31 foreign participants were in the marathon for sheer experience of running from the world´s highest elevation, most of the locals said they ran for recognition. But this year, some of the 104 participants shared a common motive: to carry some of the garbage collected from Mt Everest by Extreme Everest Expedition.
Maria Wood from Australia, who carried a small garbage packet, said “it´s a fantastic idea to bring out the rubbish.” She however stressed that people who climb the Everest should not pollute the peak so that anyone would have to collect the garbage to recycle.
As a social corporate responsibility toward the area, Himalayan Expeditions also presented the Namche Civic Society with Rs 300,000 for local development.
Abhishek Pande, the event manager of the Tenzing Hilary Everest Marathon, termed this year´s race as “yet another success story”.
Pande further said this year´s marathon has had more support from the local community as volunteers came forward from the Namche Police, Nepal Army and the locals from different junctions at the race. He said the 2011 race will be free from any glitches that the organizer faced this year.
And as the Tenzing-Hilary Everest Marathon 2010 concludes, organizers and participants await the 2011 race.
“I´ll run next year also,” Phurba said. “I run as a hobby and for recognition. And I hope there´ll be some recognition [for runners] from the government side as well.”
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