Ladakh Marathon Draws Over 5000 Runners

Leh: The 5th Ladakh Marathon successfully concluded on Thursday at the Ladakh Public School, Leh where winners of different categories were presented medals by the organisers.

The marathon that began, four years with just about 1500 participants, saw the participation of nearly 5,000 people.

Ladakh Marathon had four categories that included a seven-km-run for fun, a half marathon (21.1km), a full marathon (41.1km) and Khardungla Challenge (a 71.2 km-ultra marathon over the 17,617ft-high Khardung La pass -considered as the world's highest motorable road).
  
The winner of the 'Khardongla Challenge' was Tsewang Toldan from the Ladakh Scouts, who completed the race in 6 hours 53 minutes and 35 seconds. Shabir Husain from Ladakh Scouts shared the award of the first position since both of the completed the race in 06:53:35.

Illiyas from the Ladakh Scouts bagged the third prize by completing the race in 7 hrs 23 minutes and 19 seconds.

Sonam Chuskit, who completed Khardongla Challege in 9 hours 41 minutes and 19.24 seconds, won the first position in the women's team while Divaya who made it in 12:30:34 was declared as second. Parvin completed it in 13:15:28 secured third position.

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The first, second and the third winners of full marathon, which is of 41 KM in men's category, were Jigmet Namgyal, Stanzin Norbu and Jigmet Norbu, who completed the race in 3:12:10, 3:17:05 and 3: 17: 18 respectively.

While winners of the women's team were Tsetan Dolkar, Shikha Pahwa, and Namgyal Lhamo made it in 3:34:26, 4:08:47 and 4:22:07 respectively.

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In the half marathon section of men's event, Nawang Tsering scored the race in 01:23:05 bagged the first position and Tsewang Namgyal, who completed in 01:27:05, was declared second while Lundup Dorjay who made it in 01:27:56 was the third. 
 
Jigmet Dolma, Diskit Dolma and Tashi Ladol, who completed the 21 km race in 1:39:31, 01:42:25 and 1:48:08 respectively, were declared first, second and the third of the women's team.

Nawang Rigzin Jora also participated in the sevemn-km race, which was just for fun and had the maximum number of participants.

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"Participants had come from twenty different countries - from Scandinavian countries to America to Britain etc. Very heartening to see large number of participants from Mumbai, Pune , Bengaluru and New Delhi. - around 400," he wrote on Facebook while appreciating Chewang Motup, who founded Ladakh Marathon.

"This has been his labour of love, his passion, and his way of giving back to the society," Jora wrote.  Jora promised to complete a half marathon next year.