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Kathmandu, September 21, 2025

Four Nepali athletes are set to compete in the third edition of the World Mountain and Trail Running Championship, scheduled to be held in Canfranc, Spain, from September 24 to 29. Representing Nepal will be Suman Kulung, Sange Sherpa, Mankumar Roka, and Sunmaya Budha.

Although the entire team could not participate due to visa issues, Nepal’s top-ranked trail runners will still represent the country on the global stage. Suman Kulung, ranked number one in Nepal, is also the top-ranked male trail runner in Asia. On the women’s side, Sunmaya Budha, Nepal’s number one, is ranked third in Asia. All four athletes will compete in the single long-distance trail run event.

Team manager Priti Khatri said the athletes were selected according to international standards. “The primary criterion was the ITRA ranking, which aligns with the selection processes of Germany and other participating countries. For male athletes, a minimum ITRA score of 860 was required, and the top three male and female runners were selected,” Khatri explained. “Our athletes secured their places through exceptional performance and world-class rankings.”

Akendra Kunwar, president of the Nepal Adventure Running Federation, expressed pride in Nepali athletes competing at the global level. “Through adventure running, our athletes are once again representing Nepal internationally and showcasing their skills on the world stage,” he said. Kunwar added that the federation is continuously working to improve infrastructure and international exposure to support world-class performance by Nepali athletes.