Nepali trail running champions
If mountain trail running was an Olympic sport, Nepali athletes may have won some medals by nowNepali athletes have not won any medals in the ongoing Olympics in France, but their participation in judo, shooting, swimming and taekwondo, is seen as a source of national pride.
If breakdancing can be an Olympic sport, why isn’t trail running? If it was, Nepali runners would have a good chance of podium finishes on the Olympic stage.
Nepal’s performance in international football has been inconsistent, with some regional successes but limited impact on the larger Asian stage. The men and women’s cricket teams have performed well, achieving ODI status and competing in the ICC T20 World Cup qualifiers.
But it is Nepal’s trail and ultra-athletes who have gained significant recognition in international mountain and trail running races. Better acclimatised because of our natural high-altitude training, trail runners like Dawa Dachhiri Sherpa, Sangé Sherpa, Sunmaya Budha, Bhim Gurung, Tirtha Tamang, Mira Rai have won at prestigious events and set records. Mira Rai has become an international icon, and was named National Geographic Adventurer of the Year in 2017.
Nepal’s topography provides an excellent training ground, enhancing the performance of athletes in this field. The sport was unrecognised even in Nepal despite Nepali runners making headlines internationally, and it was only in 2023 that the National Sports Council paved the way for its national recognition.
The Adventure Running Federation was set up to encourage trail running which has more of a niche audience compared to cricket or football. Still, it would be pity if Nepal did not invest in its athletes who can make the country proud, just as Kenyan and Ethiopian marathoners have.
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Globally, the popularity of mountain and trail running has surged in the past two decades, driven by a growing interest in outdoor and adventure sports. Endurance sports like the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) and Western States Endurance Run in the US have gained prominence, inspiring athletes worldwide.
The US market for trail running gear, including shoes, apparel, and accessories, is valued at approximately $1.5 billion to $2 billion.
The European market for trail running gear is as high as $1 billion as major trail running events in the Alps of France, Italy, and Switzerland support its growth.
Read also: Hurtling through the Himalaya, Vishad Raj Onta
Runner Rankings
The ranking database of the International Trail Running Association (ITRA) is handy in keeping track of international mountain and trail runners, and we can compare them with Nepal’s top 5 male and female athletes (table, right).
The ITRA performance scoring system is designed to evaluate and standardise the performance of trail runners across various events globally. Introduced to enhance fairness and transparency in trail running, the scoring system assigns scores based on runners’ results in qualifying races. The Elite level has been redefined by raising the entry level to above 825 for men whereas previously it was above 800. For women it is considered to be above 700.
The categories have been refined. A new category, Top Elite, has been created for men with scores of 900 and above, and women with a scores of 775 and above. As expected, there are very few Top Elite runners, and they are the best in the world.
Nepal’s past trail runners are working to get back into form, while others have left the country in search of better job. The state’s investment in selection of new talent and training could help Nepal win more medals in international events in a sport that seems to be designed for a Himalayan nation like ours.
Read also: Trail-running trail blazer, Sanghamitra Subba