Sports
Adventure Sports set for Lumbini Marathon
With a view to promote Lumbini as the major pilgrimage destination for Buddhists all across the globe, Lumbini Peace Marathon and Adventure Sports Nepal are jointly organising the fourth Lumbini Peace Marathon on March 1.With a view to promote Lumbini as the major pilgrimage destination for Buddhists all across the globe, Lumbini Peace Marathon and Adventure Sports Nepal are jointly organising the fourth Lumbini Peace Marathon on March 1.
Along with the 42.195km long distance race, the open event will also have half marathon and 5km race, announced the organisers at a press conference in Kathmandu on Monday. “The spiritual sports event is organised to promote Lumbini as the ultimate tourist destination for all Buddhist followers from all over the world,” said Bikram Pandey, the
concept maker of the marathon. The event is being organised annually on Fagu Purnima (full moon day) to commemorate the day Siddhartha Gautam returned to his homeland as an enlightened Buddha.
The organisers have expected participation of about 200 runners including 30 foreigners. The marathon begins from Kudan, the place Buddha lived after returning to his homeland from India, and finishes at Lumbini Peace Garden via Gotihawa, Kapilvastu, Banganga, Tilaurakot Palace and Dohani. Legendary marathon runner Baikuntha Manandhar is the race director.
The winner of the marathon will secure a cash purse of Rs 100,000. It has been named Lumbini Ashoka Prize. The runner-up will bag Rs 75,0000, named Kapilvastu Xuanzang Prize. The third place finisher will walk away with Rs 50,000 –Mayadevi Garden Uthant Prize.
The top three finishers of the half marathon will walk away with Rs 50,000, Rs 35,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively. The winners of the 5km race will get gift hampers.