Nepali runner Rasila Tamang has become the Asia Trail Master Champion.
On Saturday at 6 am (local time), Rasila won the title by completing the distance of 77 kilometers in 12 hours 25 minutes and 52 seconds held in Sekipan Tawangmangu in Central Java, Indonesia.
Similarly, Belgian national Vange Knops and Filipino Angeli Caballo completed the distance in 12 hours 32 minutes 16 seconds and 14 hours 3 seconds 37 seconds, respectively, finishing second and third.
Rasila is the first Nepali winner in this competition which has been taking place since 2014.
When asked how she managed to win the championship, Rasila said, “The competition was very tough. I was trailing behind my closest contestant. But I thought I was good on the downhill. After covering about 30 kilometers, the downhill approached, and I passed my competitor. Then I took the lead and won the race, it was very stressful though.”
It's a very hot place, the temperature is still up to 32 degrees. How did you cope with that?
In another question by Nepalkhabar, Rasila says, “this time the weather cooperated well, the course was up and down. It rained heavily in the middle of the race, I ran in the water for more than two hours. Finally, I won the race."
Her coach Purna Tamang is also happy with this win. "I am very happy that she became the first Nepali winner in this competition,” he told Nepalkhabar. Rasila reached Indonesia under the sponsorship of Hong Kong-based T-8 Company. Its coordinator is Dinanath Bagale, an ultra-trail runner from Hong Kong.
Rasila is coming back to Nepal on Monday.
