<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/run-sunmaya-run">Nepal’s ultra-marathoner Sunmaya Budha</a> has recently won two races in China: the 60km Ultra Trail Ninghai, on October 19, and the 105km Tsaigu Trail, on November 2. She set course records in both races. A professional t<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepali-trail-running-champions">rail endurance runner</a> from Jumla, the 26-year-old has been racking up stellar performances around the world. Budha comes from a farming family in Nepal’s remote Jumla district, and defied the wishes of her parents and the expectations of a patriarchal society, to pursue a running career. Between August and her two wins in China, Budha had been competing regularly in Europe with mixed results. On August 29, she ran the prestigious <a href="https://itra.run/Races/RaceDetails/96215" target="_blank">HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc </a>in the French Alps, but was not able to finish. Then she finished as the first female, and second overall, at the <a href="https://itra.run/Races/RaceDetails/92404" target="_blank">SwissPeaks Trail Marathon</a> in Switzerland on September 7. Then on September 14, Budha finished as the first female, fifth overall, and set a course record at the <a href="https://itra.run/Races/RaceDetails/88657" target="_blank">TORX 2024 30k</a> in Courmayeur, Italy.&nbsp; After such a strong 2024, Budha has her sights locked in on the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/news/2025-world-mountain-trail-running-championships-canfranc">2025 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships</a>, to be held in Canfranc-Pirineos, Spain, in September 2025. &nbsp;&nbsp;To qualify for this event, runners have to accumulate ‘Running Stones’ by completing trail running races organized under the UTMB banner. The Ultra Trail Ninghai was one such event. The longer the race, the more Stones a runner earms. &nbsp;&nbsp;A 100-miler yields four Stones, a 100k is three Stones, and a 50k is two Stones. Each Stone collected improves the odds for a runner in the lottery through which athletes are selected for the World Championships. So Budha’s first race in China earned her two Stones. Budha is already planning to participate in the Chiang Mai Thailand by UTMB in December, where she will run 100k.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241115131112_564d750e163cfc26251e9eda759df84454f677a84a5cf170db8943986b1f9b88.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20241115131112_564d750e163cfc26251e9eda759df84454f677a84a5cf170db8943986b1f9b88" data-rendition-name="original" width="1080" height="1080" loading="lazy" alt="Sunmaya Budha stays in the running NT"> </figure>  “Running in China is different to Europe,” Budha told us in Kathmandu. “There are a lot of small mountains, although the actual routes for the race were pretty flat. The elevation is close to sea level, and the climate is mildly hot.” &nbsp; Budha had to deal with an injury after her win in the Ninghai race. With only thirteen days before she raced 105km in the Tsaigu Trail, Budha was training for one and a half hours a day. With four days to go, her ankle hurt so bad that she couldn’t run at all. The Tsaigu Trail 2024 is one of the biggest races in China. It sees mostly domestic runners, as it is promoted only through Chinese social media like WeChat and Weibo. “My confidence for the next race took a hit, because pain in my ankle has been a recurring problem,” says Budha. “My coach thought it was because I pushed too hard immediately after a race.” Budha stopped running and even walking, and used alternating hot and cold baths and massages to treat her injury. Then she went to a physiotherapist, who determined &nbsp;that her ankle was completely fine, and that the source of her pain was muscle tightness in her lower leg. &nbsp; Although expectations were low because of her injury, Budha and her team went ahead with the race. The route for the Tsaigu race was designed such that runners were back at the finish line after their first 5 kilometres, and then they would run the last 100. “We decided that I would run the first five and assess whether I could continue. I felt a little pain at the beginning, and some at the tail end, but I was quite comfortable for most of the race,” recalls Budha.&nbsp; Budha ended up not only winning, but her time of 9:32:47 set a course record, and was more than half an hour faster than second place female, Tang Jinyan from China. This works out to a pace of 5:28/km. &nbsp;The facebook page of Tsaigu trail has uploaded a one minute video of Budha finishing the race. Budha strides strongly as onlookers cheer her on, and she beams as she crosses the finish line.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241115131112_fe76af49c6a0f51815df840410fc9dd1e233012aba6e7b05d1ee8e41d248f911.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20241115131112_fe76af49c6a0f51815df840410fc9dd1e233012aba6e7b05d1ee8e41d248f911" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="Sunmaya Budha stays in the running NT"> </figure>  Budha was impressed by the level of organisation of the Tsaigu Trail, as well as the enthusiasm for running amongst the Chinese: “They treated runners really well. Checkpoints were well-stocked with snacks and fruits, and there was a buffet and massages at the finish line.” Budha has earned the ability to train full-time through coveted sponsorships, first from North Face and now from Chinese outdoor brand Kailas FUGA. She does so under the guidance of elite endurance running coach, Andy DuBois from Australia. Her accomplishments in China have gained Budha another sponsorship with Nitecore, a company that makes headlamps. Headlamps are a vital piece of equipment in ultra races that are so long that athletes must run through the night. After Thailand next month, Budha is planning for another race in Hong Kong in January. She will complete other races too in 2025, but at the moment the only event for certain is the World Championships in September. “Hopefully, Nepal will be able to send four or five runners — if the government helps out,” says Budha, “otherwise only sponsored athletes will be able to go.” Budha is now training and living in Kathmandu, with her sister. The rest of her family is still in Jumla. &nbsp;“I talk to them once in a while. I call my parents when I win,” she says. Budha is managed internationally by the Asia Pacific Athlete Team, and locally by Nepal Trail Series. Director of this company, Preeti Khatri, points out that Sunmaya Budha is not the only highly promising prospect in Nepali Trail Running. “We have Suman Kulung who has found sponsors in Austria and is now leading world ranks. Another guy from Rukum was invited to Switzerland for training and since then he is making headlines. A girl from Khotang is smashing Asian trail championships,” says Khatri.

Vishad Raj Onta

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Sunmaya Budha stays in the running

&nbsp;Nepal showed great fight against Bangladesh in the final of the SAFF Women’s Football Championship, but ultimately the Bengal Tigresses were just a little better than the Nepalis at in Kathmandu on Wednesday evening. &nbsp; &nbsp;Following the chaotic <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/ruckus-at-the-rangasala">semi-final victory three days previously against India</a>, where play was halted for more than an hour as fans and players protested repeated refereeing mistakes, Nepal wanted to see its women’s team to carry on the momentum against Bangladesh, even though it had beaten Nepal &nbsp;twice before. &nbsp;&nbsp; All tickets for the game were to be sold physically in three locations and thousands were already lining up at 4 am. Ticket sales started at 8 am, and were already sold out in two hours. &nbsp; As the two national anthems rang throughout the Rangasala, the Nepali women lined up in a blue kits against the Bangladeshi team in jerseys that had a red-to-green gradient. Prime Minister KP Oli was in attendance and would hand out trophies, medals and awards at the end of the game.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241031141012_af065ae79f5612c8de0caf9219ba44f7e0e3a13541875669f812936503b3c6d1.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20241031141012_af065ae79f5612c8de0caf9219ba44f7e0e3a13541875669f812936503b3c6d1" data-rendition-name="original" width="1954" height="1302" loading="lazy" alt="SAFF Women's Championship 2024 NT"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024103114108_ac06c088fb5431bd6f86049a2e33e623f3a3fdde4713c4f83c5727d7642d2e87.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="2024103114108_ac06c088fb5431bd6f86049a2e33e623f3a3fdde4713c4f83c5727d7642d2e87" data-rendition-name="original" width="1779" height="1185" loading="lazy" alt="SAFF Women's Championship 2024 NT"> </figure>  There was intense support from the home crowd on a pitch that looked quite good, in contrast to the state it was in during the monsoon when Japanese Veteran, ex-AC Milan Keisuke Honda, who was playing for Bhutan team Paro FC, called it the worst footballing pitch he had ever seen. Bangladesh had a higher level of quality throughout its squad, and this shone through as they dominated the opening ten minutes with accurate passes through the midfield. Nepal was playing a defensive, counter attacking strategy, with nine outfield players behind the ball and ‘Samba’ Bhandari playing as a lone forward. Nepal’s plan for the game was to be solid at the back and then hoof it forward to Samba, and hope that she could come up with a moment of magic.&nbsp; She almost did in the 10th minute, rattling a shot against the crossbar. Her play was excellent throughout: she held up the ball, hardly lost it, and sprayed accurate passes to her teammates. Unfortunately due to the style Nepal was playing, she often seemed to not get enough support and lacked options to continue play.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241031141012_4e654f608e218746a54dfd5679da3bf0bfe02439cc21d5045508f5f09481889e.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20241031141012_4e654f608e218746a54dfd5679da3bf0bfe02439cc21d5045508f5f09481889e" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1362" loading="lazy" alt="SAFF Women's Championship 2024 NT"> </figure>  Nepal grew into the game as the first half carried on and 19-year old midfielder Preeti Rai stood out in midfield. Rai seemed to understand exactly what to do in order to not lose the ball, through finding the correct pass or through taking an intelligent touch to get away momentarily from a Bangla defender trying to win the ball back. Although both teams had a number of chances, neither had scored when they went in for halftime. Nepal was holding its own against a difficult opponent, who had trounced Bhutan 7-1 in the championship’s other semi-final. &nbsp; While Samba provided a threatening presence up top and Rai calmed things down in midfield, Nepal’s defense was looking worrying. The backs &nbsp;seemed nervous and were often unable to properly deal with Bangladeshi attacks. &nbsp;&nbsp; Sure enough, seven minutes into the second half defensive confusion caused the football to pinball around the Nepali penalty area before falling to Bangladesh midfielder Monika Chakma who calmly scored against Nepali keeper and captain Anjila Tumbapo Subba.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241031141012_284b757e7f6be854fd8a01175347ec744bc97e5a1cc432092bcce3dca0e3e5e5.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20241031141012_284b757e7f6be854fd8a01175347ec744bc97e5a1cc432092bcce3dca0e3e5e5" data-rendition-name="original" width="1743" height="1161" loading="lazy" alt="SAFF Women's Championship 2024 NT"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024103114108_e6218ab04f9be5f9b14b096dca90f2cc8632e87e4441c5df10a4830c1e19e2d5.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="2024103114108_e6218ab04f9be5f9b14b096dca90f2cc8632e87e4441c5df10a4830c1e19e2d5" data-rendition-name="original" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" alt="SAFF Women's Championship 2024 NT"> </figure>  &nbsp;Subba may have had a better chance if she had dived at Chakma’s feet, but she slid in like a defender towards the ball and Nepal found itself &nbsp;one goal behind. &nbsp; But just four minutes later, Preeti Rai threaded a through ball through three Bangla defenders. Forward Amisha Karki ran onto the pass and had plenty of time to ready herself before finishing past the goalkeeper.&nbsp; Just like after the restart in the semifinal against India, Nepal acted quickly to get themselves back in the game. The stadium had only been in panic mode for a short while and was now back loud and supporting the Nepali team. &nbsp; Video panned to an employee of the seemingly ubiquitous and monopolistic Garud Security, enjoying the action, wearing a high visibility neon vest with ‘Karate Black Belt’ emblazoned on the back. Besides the approximately 20,000 strong Rangasala audience, there were a record one million concurrent viewers to the livestream of the match on YouTube.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241031141012_e78ec325925a2e6dd9e6ab3a21df85e04ddf2b245d8ff26e7818b338bd13408b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20241031141012_e78ec325925a2e6dd9e6ab3a21df85e04ddf2b245d8ff26e7818b338bd13408b" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1367" loading="lazy" alt="SAFF Women's Championship 2024 NT"> </figure>  The game grew more open as both teams looked for a winner. There were chances for both: Bangladesh midfielder shot well from distance in the 67th minute, but keeper Subba was able to catch the ball. Then in the 72st minute Samba ran onto a lofted through pass and was almost through on goal. She opened her body up and shot for the far corner of the Bangla goal, but the angle was against her and the ball rolled across. In the 81st minute, following several scary scrambles in the Nepali defense, Ritu Chakma found herself on the ball on the left flank for Bangladesh. Chakma unleashed a wicked cross into the Nepali box with her left foot. It swerved and dipped, wrong-footing Subba, who was still able to get a hand to the ball but was unable to keep it from entering the net. The crowd was stunned. Nepal had not gotten a clear cut chance after equalizing, and now had only three minutes to find another goal to send the final to penalties.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241031141012_1191ccfd7072a0e8b056a9e7bbeae1c6b2731792662e065fb573e8d92f22da88.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20241031141012_1191ccfd7072a0e8b056a9e7bbeae1c6b2731792662e065fb573e8d92f22da88" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1416" loading="lazy" alt="SAFF Women's Championship 2024 NT"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241031141020_23edb5db34d1d4388b2768be7ab3cf1b6e25d5204e00cc7500d0ee16e79358a8.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20241031141020_23edb5db34d1d4388b2768be7ab3cf1b6e25d5204e00cc7500d0ee16e79358a8" data-rendition-name="original" width="1728" height="1152" loading="lazy" alt="SAFF Women's Championship 2024 NT"> </figure>  &nbsp;Despite their efforts and several substitutions, Nepal could not find a way back again. The Bangladesh team were overjoyed at the final whistle, and took laps around the field and celebrated near a group of Bangla supporters. An exhausted, disappointed Nepali team fell to the ground, having lost another final. The Nepali players should be proud of the performance they put in throughout the tournament and especially in the semis and the final. They pushed a much better Bangla team right to the limit. What was most evident was the gulf in quality between Samba and Preeti Rai and everyone else in the Nepali team: while Samba and Rai almost always displayed correct play, the rest of the squad made mistakes at crucial times. The home crowd showed out to support Nepal’s female athletes, taking matters into their own hands to protest inept, helpless officiating. They didn’t repeat this behavior when we were beaten fair and square in the final, which would have diminished the protests in the game against India. An excellent drone shot at the end of the match showed the floodlit Rangasala and a gridlocked Tripuresqor roundabout as Nepalis streamed out of the stadium: disappointed, but not dejected.

Nepal defeated but not dejected

Nepali 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.&nbsp; 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.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240810080824_ed056b7ba2ce18f7132f548c7923aa292384574c20b0b73d8c3c1c5ba9740fb9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20240810080824_ed056b7ba2ce18f7132f548c7923aa292384574c20b0b73d8c3c1c5ba9740fb9" data-rendition-name="original" width="2250" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="Sunmaya Budha NT"> <figcaption>Sunmaya Budha hit record timing in China’s Wenling 70km race this year.(Photo: Shristi Karki)</figcaption> </figure>  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.&nbsp; 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.&nbsp; 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.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/run-sunmaya-run">Run, Sunmaya, run</a>, Vishad Raj Onta <div class="embed-block"><div><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="//cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2Fp0xDZN0wfIg%3Fsi%3DupPajyK-ZgHwbbiV&key=87ca3314a9fa775b5c3a7726100694b0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;"></iframe></div></div></div> 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.&nbsp; 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. &nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/hurtling-through-the-himalaya">Hurtling through the Himalaya</a>, Vishad Raj Onta <h2>Runner Rankings</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240810080824_988b0a95e4632dcbfe38be50673e6733545e4421cab6c52a8a1cb5f07ea74d42.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20240810080824_988b0a95e4632dcbfe38be50673e6733545e4421cab6c52a8a1cb5f07ea74d42" data-rendition-name="original" width="4000" height="2666" loading="lazy" alt="Arjun Rai Kulung"> <figcaption>Arjun Rai Kulung galloping in the Skyrace Pikey Peak 2023 at 4,046m elevation. He is third on ITRA Top Nepali Male. </figcaption> </figure>  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).&nbsp; 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.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240810080824_f75f55e79d455601201b911f714e22c93ca01c0dbdcc0d0d73df3f12e8701981.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20240810080824_f75f55e79d455601201b911f714e22c93ca01c0dbdcc0d0d73df3f12e8701981" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="Trail runner rankings NT"> </figure>  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.&nbsp; 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: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/trail-running-trail-blazer">Trail-running trail blazer</a>, Sanghamitra Subba

Nepali trail running champions

Now the Euro Cup fever is over (“Forza Italia!”)  and we have all caught up with much-needed sleep, let us gear up for the Tokyo Virtual Olympics 2021.This year, the Olympics organisers have made sure that it is first games in the modern era to be conducted in a city that is under an emergency. But I must play the donkey’s advocate here and argue that the Olympics has always been constrained by sports that date back to Ancient Greece.If the discus throw can be a track and field sport, then we should also include marathon discussions in parliamentary committees as a category in Nepal’s National Games. We have some sure fire gold medalists in that sport.And javelin throw? How is that relevant in this day and age? Imagine if domestic terrorists get hold of such weapons. Even more absurd is the shot put, which harks back to the age of lugging around cannon balls in the heat of battle. Modern warfare has moved on – today we incinerate the enemy with lasers.The International Ass. of Athletic Federations would do well to change some of the categories to reflect more modern methods of biological warfare like the Kathmandu Runs, which Nepalis would win hands-down since all of us have so much practice.Nepalis have broken all records in breaking records, and the Tokyo Olympics is a god-send opportunity for us to claim even more entries into the Guinness Book like the Nepali tv news anchor who conducted a continuous 62-hour talk show, the world’s most frequent prime minister, the most-rightwing Communist Party, the fastest clock in the world, and of all the donkey species in the world, Nepal has the biggest asses.One sport that Nepalis have increasingly excelled in is rubber-band chungi. It will be too late to include it in the Tokyo Olympics, but we should definitely have it among the categories for the next games and start grooming our top notch chungi champs with a supplementary diet of performance-enhancing yarsagumba. It will be a proud moment for Nepal’s gold medalist in Rome in 2026 when the double triangle is raised to the tune of the national anathema.Another Nepali sport that was popular in Nepal before the invention of the ball is dandi biu. We have to tweak it a bit and call it dandi charge so that contestants from the Police Club, who have been practicing it at recent street rallies, can reap medals at future international championships.We are glad to see that mountain biking is finally an Olympic sport, but it has always been a bit unfair that mountaineering has been kept out of the world games because it is one sport in which Nepalis could sweep the medals tally.After all, if scantily attired women whose noses are clipped with clothespins can take part in an Olympic event called synchronised swimming, I personally see no reason why our Icefall Doctors should not.If it is problem, we can have Nepali participants in the mountaineering category climb Mt Fuji with their noses clipped with clothespins.

The Ass

Nepal’s Olympic dreams

Fenerbahçe Beko won the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague finals in Abu Dhabi, held 23-25 May, defeating Monaco 81-70 in the final. Olympiacos, who defeated Panathinaikos 97-93, finished the series in third place. The Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the final match, Nigel Hayes-Davis from Fenerbahçe Beko, received a prize of 1,000,000 Miles&amp;Smiles from Turkish Airlines’ Chief Commercial Officer Ahmet Olmuştur. The carrier has been the title sponsor of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, a top tier tournament, since 2010.

Turkish Basketball

Thousands of Nepali students dreaming of an American education have been forced to look elsewhere as the Trump administration’s visa restrictions make their future uncertain.
The US was long considered a top destination for higher studies, making Nepal the 10th biggest country of origin for international students in America.&nbsp;
However, that number has seen a significant decline with the total for Nepali students now at 16,482. Some 8,000 Nepali students obtained no-objection certificates to study in the US from the Ministry of Education in the past year.&nbsp;
India, Australia, Canada, South Korea, United Kingdom and Japan are the other popular destinations for Nepali students. There are no clear numbers for Nepalis going to India, but a slight decline was noted this year after the deaths of two female students.
The US State Department has issued a circular to its embassies not to issue new visas to applicants until further notice. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the directive stated that the department planned to expand the screening of applicants' social media.&nbsp;
While new applicants are barred including those applying for visitor visas, students with scheduled interviews are allowed to proceed.
“Many of our students are affected by the new restrictions, but those who had applied for student visas earlier have got interview dates,” one Kathmandu-based college counsellor told us.
Meanwhile, even foreign students with spotless records already in the US have not been spared, as visa scrutiny intensifies under the new policy. In a move that underscores the growing sense of insecurity, many US colleges advised international students to carry their passports and documents at all times, even when traveling locally.
“Me and my friends did not go home this summer because we were not sure we would be allowed back, so we just went to Niagara Falls,” said a Nepali undergrad in Ohio, who like many interviewed for this report did not want her name used for fear of repercussion.
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Nepali students have adopted a cautious stance, with many choosing not to return home during summer vacation due to fear of visa revocations as well as travel bans. Meanwhile, over 7,000 Nepalis with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) will have to come back to Nepal by 5 August or face deportation. Thirty-seven were flown back to Kathmandu on Omni Air last week.
“The US is one of the most sought-after destinations for higher education, and the ban will definitely impact bright students,” says Narottam Aryal of the King’s College in Kathmandu.
Indeed, Nepali undergraduates admitted into Ivy League colleges for the 2025 academic year have been asked to look for alternatives. The entire Fulbright Foreign Scholarships Board resigned on Wednesday citing interference from the Trump administration on the selection of this year’s cohort. Some Nepali students already on Fulbright scholarships have noted disruptions, delays and even cancellation of stipends.&nbsp;
The student visa restrictions were initially just for foreign students admitted to Harvard University, but it was later extended to all Chinese students and now to all students. Universities like Columbia which actively recruit foreign students, face sharp enrolment declines, threatening their financial stability and diversity.
An Indian female PhD candidate at Columbia University had her visa revoked by the US State Department, and said she was targeted on the basis of her social media posts on Israeli military attacks in Gaza. Social media vetting of political activism has raised concerns about privacy and freedom of expression in a country where such rights were a given.
Many students have been informed via email that their visas have been revoked for getting speeding or parking tickets, but even others with no criminal record have been affected. The fear of deportation looms large amongst international students, including those from Nepal.&nbsp;
For most Nepalis who migrate to the US for education, the journey is a high-stakes investment. They come largely from middle-class families, often rely on a patchwork of scholarships, work-study programs, loans, or even the sale of family assets to afford fees.
Most Nepali students pursue STEM subjects which offer extended Optional Practical Training (OPT) periods that help fund their education. But with the US backsliding on education and humanitarian matters, countries like the UK and Canada are becoming more attractive despite their own recent stricter controls on student visas.&nbsp;
The UK universities saw a 63% rise in Nepali students’ admissions in 2024. Japan is another popular destination with 64,816 Nepali students enrolled as of 2024.
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Already, China, Hong Kong and Malaysia are poised to benefit from the increased scrutiny of US student visas. Several Hong Kong universities are offering unconditional admission to affected students, while Malaysian institutions are targeting previously US-bound Asian students. China and India have 330,000 and 280,000 students respectively in America, but the numbers for China have seen a sharp drop in the past year.
Elsewhere, branch campuses of American institutions such as NYU in Abu Dhabi, Georgetown in Dubai and Northwestern in Doha are getting more admission applications, and universities in the Gulf region are expanding infrastructure to accommodate those who would otherwise have gone to the US.&nbsp;
Even educational institutions in Nepal are hopeful that the US visa restrictions can be an opportunity to at least keep Nepali undergrads in Nepal, and also attract foreign students from the region.&nbsp;
“Many students might choose to complete their undergraduate degree here in Nepal and then move abroad for their Master’s degree later,” says Aryal of King’s College. “There was a need for quality higher education in Nepal anyway in terms of innovation and opportunities, so this could be the time to reduce our dependence on other countries.”
Nepal’s strategic position between India and China makes it sensitive to US policy shifts. India, a key ally, is also under US scrutiny for potential student travel restrictions. Chinese universities are already offering more scholarships to Nepali talent to capitalise on the US retreat.
American universities have challenged student visa restrictions in the courts. A federal court in Boston revoked the blanket ban on Harvard, and the State Department has ordered the resumption of processing student and exchange visitor visas.&nbsp;
Some are still hoping that President Trump will backtrack on the student visa restrictions, just like he has done with many of his more drastic executive orders.
Even so, the visa see-saw and longer-term uncertainties about living in the United States and its education system means students across the world are making alternative plans.
Says Aryal: “Policies of foreign countries change according to their needs, so excessive dependence was never a good idea. We should work to create different opportunities and choices of higher education within Nepal, so students are retained.” &nbsp;

America no longer prime destination for Nepali students

While Nepal was hosting the Sagarmatha Sambaad international climate conference in Kathmandu this month, on Mt Everest it was pretty much business as usual.&nbsp; The signs of climate breakdown are all there: a river now runs through Base Camp in summer, the Khumbu Icefall is more unstable, and there are more &nbsp;frequent avalanches. When expeditions arrived in March, the mountains were bare: it had not snowed since September, but then blizzards dumped unseasonal snow in May. And despite climate worries, such is the pull of Himalayan mountaineering that the Everest Industry showed no signs of slowdown. More than 600 international climbers and their Nepali guides had made it to the summit of the world’s highest mountain. At one point there were an estimated 2,000 people in the tent city on the Khumbu Glacier. All the ropes and ladders on the Icefall came down on Thursday, marking the official end of the spring climbing season, and just in time to avoid a monsoon cyclone approaching from the Bay of Bengal. It has been an action-packed season. One factor could be that Everest fees will go up from September: each foreign climber needs to pay a $15,000 royalty, up from the present $11,000. The cost for a Nepali climber on the South Col route will also go up: from Rs75,000 to Rs150,000.&nbsp; The fee to climb Everest in autumn is $7,500 (up from $5,500), but most climbers still prefer spring. Winter permit fee (December-February) is only $3,750 per person and the mountain is now also open for monsoon (June-August) climbs, when the fee is ever lower at $2,750. The revised rule also makes it mandatory for every two climbers on an 8,000m peak to hire one Nepali mountain guide.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025053004050_67f856fe52714e4bdcf21ae7d45c6f18c82117b9d0a5f73ed1efa04c96de1046.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2025053004050_67f856fe52714e4bdcf21ae7d45c6f18c82117b9d0a5f73ed1efa04c96de1046" data-rendition-name="original" width="931" height="732" loading="lazy" alt="The Everest Industry graph 1"> </figure>  In addition, climbers also have to pay for porters and guides, equipment, Base Camp costs, Ice Fall and fixed rope team fees, so climbing Everest does not come cheap. But such is the draw of climbing the world’s highest peak that some say the increased fees will not diminish the crowds next year. The government has tried to spread expeditions out to other seasons and other 8,000ers, but with not much success. Earlier this year, Nepal unilaterally increased the number of 8,000m peaks to 14 by adding six more sub-summits to broaden the choice for climbers. Added were: Yalung Kang (8,505m), Yalung Kang West (8,077m) &nbsp;Kangchenjunga Central (8,473m), Kangchenjunga South (8,476m), Lhotse Middle (8,410m) and Lhotse Shar (8,400m).&nbsp; The announcement could go against the accepted topographic criteria that a stand alone peak has to be at least 300m higher than an adjoining prominence, and at more than 3km isolation from it. The UIAA (Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme) still recognises only 14 mountains as eight-thousanders, and only eight of those are in Nepal, or on the border with China. Nepal’s revised mountaineering regulations also increased the insurance coverage of high-altitude workers to protect porters and high altitude guides who usually take more risks on the mountains. Rescue teams and clean-up campaigners to collect trash and remove bodies of dead climbers up to Camp IV of Mt Everest do not need permits.&nbsp; The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee is now using drones to fly down trash in 20kg sacks. Each climber is also required to bring down at least 6kg of waste and not just their own, but this rule is erratically enforced. With five fatalities on Everest and Lhotse, Spring 2025 had a historically low death toll. Another five climbers died on Annapurna, Kangchenjunga and Makalu.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025053004050_38681de22f0fefb6faa12b01755566d09c5064d0ff84e12ccc7b5d68ea9ba38a.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2025053004050_38681de22f0fefb6faa12b01755566d09c5064d0ff84e12ccc7b5d68ea9ba38a" data-rendition-name="original" width="665" height="740" loading="lazy" alt="The Everest industry graph 2"> </figure>  Journalist Ben Ayers who ran the Everest Live social media channel from Everest Base Camp with daily updates credited the low death rate to dramatic rescues of climbers from the ‘Death Zone’ by their Nepali guides and longline helievacs — the visuals all uploaded on YouTube.&nbsp; “Ironically, this perception of safety is bringing more and more inexperienced climbers to the mountain, and they need more rescues,” Ayers said in one of his dispatches.&nbsp; American expedition chronicler and summiteer Alan Arnette suspects there is a lot of under-reporting given that the jet stream and storms were lashing Everest even till late in the season. He told us: “I heard a lot about frostbite and rescues that were not made public. It’s become practically impossible to cover the details on Everest. All the teams report nice news, and they don’t talk about bad stuff to avoid hurting businesses.” Although trash on Nepal’s mountains makes headlines, what does not receive as much attention is the climate impact of so many expeditions. The Sagarmatha Sambaad conference sidestepped this issue, which is ironic given that the impact of climate breakdown is most evident on Himalayan peaks and their glaciers.&nbsp; <h2>Need for Speed</h2> The big stories this year have been about speed-running from their home cities to the top of Everest. Ukrainian entrepreneur Andrew Ushakov flew out of JFK on 15 May at 10:15AM Nepal time, and was on the summit 3 days, 23 hours, and 7 minutes later on 19 May at 9:22AM.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250601080640_1c5cc6fc991307861768f07037ed9d30930fb20f35dbb57dc31c9a92a9e1a885.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20250601080640_1c5cc6fc991307861768f07037ed9d30930fb20f35dbb57dc31c9a92a9e1a885" data-rendition-name="original" width="1440" height="1800" loading="lazy" alt="The Everest Industry"> <figcaption>Andrew Ushakov at the summt. Photo: ELITE EXPED</figcaption> </figure>  “I could never find the time for the traditional 40-50 days of acclimatisation,” Ushakov explained matter-of-factly. His ‘Everest Sea-to-Summit’ climb was possible because he spent 400 hours in hypoxic sleep tents over the past four years in New York. However, Ushakov did use ropes already fixed, hired four Nepali guides, helicoptered to Base Camp, and used much more oxygen than an average climber. And after the climb, Ushakov was arrested at Kathmandu airport for being in possession of $20,000 of undeclared cash and spent a night in jail and fined $60,000.&nbsp; The other speedsters were Garth Miller, Alastair Cairns, Anthony Stazicker, and Kev Godlington, all former British Army commandos. They left London and summited five days later on 21 May, and flew right back. They also used hypoxic tents to simulate the thin air high on Everest.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250601080644_90c8dd5cc07b4b43f2989b1dc0c0650ab80f10ebb06680c25a6909c519957bd8.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20250601080644_90c8dd5cc07b4b43f2989b1dc0c0650ab80f10ebb06680c25a6909c519957bd8" data-rendition-name="original" width="810" height="668" loading="lazy" alt="The Everest Industry "> <figcaption>All four members of the Furtenbach team at the summit. Photo: Sandro Gromen-Hayes</figcaption> </figure>  But more controversial was their use of xenon gas therapy in a German hospital to ramp up the production of oxygen-carrying haemoglobins in their blood. Xenon is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency for being performance enhancing in sports. Expedition leader Lukas Furtenbach said this rule does not apply to mountaineering, as it is not a regulated sport like swimming. Nepal has no rules about xenon, but the Department of Tourism said it was launching an ‘investigation’ to decide on future policy since it is difficult to ban xenon, but allow oxygen. The controversy has also divided the mountaineering community, with some climbers saying they just want to maximise their chances of survival. Spending less time on the mountain could make climbing safer by reducing avalanche risk. It would also mean less trash on the mountains, but it would reduce the income of Nepal’s expedition industry. It is also unclear how much of the success was due to xenon therapy and whether the ex-special forces were already in good physical shape.&nbsp; The need for speed hides the fact that climbing in the Himalaya is dangerous business, and climbers cannot sprint to the top just by huffing xenon. But ultra-fast climbs could be charged more, and the revenue generated can be used to establish state-of-the-art rescue operations, and increase pay and insurance for guides. Two other speed chasers this season were Swiss-Ecuadorian Karl Egloff and American Tyler Andrews, both on Everest without oxygen. Andrews choppered to Base Camp to catch a weather window, but turned back from 8,500m due to high winds. Heavy snow and wind also forced Egloff to descend from 7,000m. Slow and steady climbers like Anja Blacha from Germany did make it to the summit without oxygen, while Kami Rita Sherpa broke his own record with his 31st Everest summit as he led a 26-strong Indian Army group. There were 468 permits issued for foreign climbers from 48 expeditions to Everest this spring. Nepal’s other eight-thousanders together had only 17 expeditions. Nepal has more than 1,000 peaks above 6,000m, and has opened only 476 of them for climbing.&nbsp;

The Everest Industry

While Nepal marked <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/mt-everest-pvt-ltd">Mt Everest</a> Day on 29 May, on the other side of the planet in the US state of Colorado dozens of Nepalis who have climbed the world’s highest peak multiple times were busy working as chefs and Uber drivers. Among them is Nima Doma Sherpa, who climbed Mt Everest in 2019 after her husband Tshering Wangchu was among 16 crushed by an avalanche on <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/on-thin-ice-in-the-khumbu">the Khumbu Icefall</a> five years earlier. A large serac broke off the West Shoulder of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/the-everest-industry">Mt Everest </a>and fell directly on a group of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/more-porters-sick-on-everest-trail">porters and guides</a> making their way up the Icefall at 5,800m. Their bodies were flown by helicopter to Khumjung where Tshering Wangchu was born. He was excited about climbing Mt Everest for the first time.&nbsp; In Khumjung, Nima Doma felt like her own life had also ended. This was the kind of news Sherpa wives, mothers and sisters dreaded every <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/peak-climbing-season-2025-s4abrxny">mountaineering season</a>. She stayed home for more than two years grieving, but ultimately gathered up all her emotional strength to take care of her 6-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter. Nima had grown up in Khumjung hearing <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/stories-of-nepal-s-summiteers">tales of adventure on the mountains </a>from their father, Ang Chubi Sherpa who had climbed Everest in 1993. He used to bring her and her sisters and brother European chocolates after every expedition, and used to tell them that the chocolate bars grew on the mountains. “It was only after we got older did we realise that he told us that chocolates grew in the mountains so we would not worry about him putting himself in harm's way,” Nima Doma recalled with a faraway look at her home in Boulder this week. Nima went to the school that <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/commemorating-edmund-hillary-in-nepal,4145">Edmund Hillary</a> opened in Khumjung till Grade 8, and then dropped out to help in the kitchen and <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/when-yaks-go-so-does-culture">tend yaks</a>. She was married off to Tshering Wangchu, who was also a high altitude guide. When Tshering went on expeditions, Nima also started working as a porter from Namche to Base Camp. It was perhaps her father’s tales of mountains of chocolates that had always attracted her to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/knowing-our-mountains-43v4iyvo">the peaks</a>. After her husband was killed ten years ago this month, being a widow with children was not easy for Nima Doma. But she was not alone: there were at least 200 single mothers in <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/khumbu-since-1950-jaww4qn0">the Khumbu</a>, and 20 of them just in Khumjung whose husbands had been killed in <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/tragic-start-to-himalayan-spring-nepal,3695">mountaineering accidents</a>. Some were not even 20 years old, and had children growing up without fathers. But there were also women in the 50s whose husbands had been killed in the 1980s. Nima found sponsors for her children’s education, and moved to Kathmandu. In the capital, Sherpa widows used to meet to help each other. Some of them had joined the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) training for rock and ice climbing. “I decided that it was no use sitting home and crying anymore, after meeting other single mothers I felt less alone,” remembers Nima, who joined the Juniper Foundation and enrolled in an NMA training camp in Manang. There she climbed Chulu East (6,584m) and met Furadiki Sherpa, whose rope-fixing husband had also been <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/on-mt-everest-s-70th-records-and-fatalities">killed on Everest</a> in 2013. They set themselves the goal of climbing Everest one day, and started a fund-raising drive.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250530090544_621be0724b9182c8e3594b2c562a71ec32ac01d985a71d0cf31646de9d51e15a.png" data-media-id="editor_12" data-image-id="20250530090544_621be0724b9182c8e3594b2c562a71ec32ac01d985a71d0cf31646de9d51e15a" data-rendition-name="original" width="2678" height="1274" loading="lazy" alt="Everest summiteers find new life in the US"> </figure>  “We decided we had to overcome society’s stigma of <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/widows-personal-happiness-comes-last-in-face-of-social-financial-hardships,1855">widowhood</a> and prove that <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/remembering-junko-tabei">women could also climb mountains</a>,” Nima said, adding that she was inspired by Nepal’s first woman Everest summiteer Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, who died during her descent in 1993. Nima Doma and Furdiki climbed the technically-difficult Ama Dablam (6,812m) and then arrived at Everest Base Camp in April 2019 as part of their Two Widows Expedition with the motto, ‘So Can We’. While climbing up the Icefall Nima passed the spot where her husband had been killed. It was a jumble of constantly-shifting ice blocks bigger than houses. She closed her eyes and said a prayer. “I remember thinking, this is so difficult and dangerous. This is what my husband had to do to support our family,” Nima Doma said. “I was determined to fulfil my husband’s dream of climbing Chomolungma, and to prove to ourselves that we two women could do it.” It was 23 May 2019 when <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/world/two-sherpa-widows-scale-everest-and-smash-stigma-idUSKCN1SU0MV/" target="_blank">Nima and Furdiki stepped on the summit</a> and looked over into Tibet, and down at Tengboche Monastery to the south.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250530090544_6b822582b5d88ba5e972db084f184690b40653c6efd9901b2dd082ffba2a263b.png" data-media-id="editor_16" data-image-id="20250530090544_6b822582b5d88ba5e972db084f184690b40653c6efd9901b2dd082ffba2a263b" data-rendition-name="original" width="2700" height="1522" loading="lazy" alt="Everest summiteers find new life in the US"> </figure>  Nima Doma hugged Furdiki, took off her mask and wept. But for the first time in five years, it was not from grief but relief — relief for being free of all the sadness and sacrifices and for fulfilling her husband’s dream. They had found <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/life-after-death">life after death</a>. “I felt this immense joy to be on top of the world, it was indescribable,” Nima Doma said, “I have wept only twice in my life. Once when my husband died, and once there on top of Everest.” The tears had frozen on Nima Doma’s cheeks, as she and Furdiki headed back down the mountain.

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