Nepal’s Homlal Shrestha and Sunsari Rokaya have secured the men’s and women’s titles at the Asia Trail Master (ATM) Championship, marking a double victory for Nepal in Vietnam.
The championship finale took place on Saturday at the Mu Cang Chai Ultra Trail in Vietnam, showcasing the exceptional skills of Nepali runners.
Homlal: First Winner from Nepal
Forty-two-year-old Homlal Shrestha has made history as the first Nepali male runner to win the Asia Trail Master Championship. He completed the challenging race in 7 hours, 14 minutes, and 17.9 seconds, finishing ahead of fellow Nepali Gopal Tamang, who placed second.
Homlal took an early lead and maintained his position against strong competition. This victory is particularly meaningful for him, as he primarily participates in road marathons and had never run a 70-kilometre race before.
Sunsari Claims the Women’s Title
In the women’s competition, 24-year-old Sunsari Rokaya triumphed after a close contest with her compatriot Kalpana Budha. Sunsari finished the 75-kilometre race in 9 hours, 32 minutes, and 25 seconds, narrowly beating 19-year-old Kalpana by just seven seconds, who clocked in at 9 hours, 32 minutes, and 33.1 seconds.
Kalpana’s achievement is noteworthy, as she became the youngest athlete to reach the podium in Asia Trail Master history. Hong Kong’s Celine Louibire secured third place in the women’s race.
Outstanding Performance by Nepal’s Runners
Nepal’s impressive showing at the ATM Championship extended beyond the victories of Homlal and Sunsari. Dhir Bahadur Budha finished eighth in the men’s race, while Bishal Rai took tenth. In the women’s event, Rajya Laxmi Rawal placed sixth, and Ang Furba Sherpa also made the top 10, finishing in tenth.
Nine Nepali runners participated in the championship, which featured a challenging mountainous course with significant elevation changes and altitudes reaching 3,800 metres. The event attracted athletes from 18 countries.
This achievement underscores Nepal’s growing prominence in trail running, with the nation’s athletes clinching the top two positions in both the men’s and women’s races.