Sports
Former champion Shrestha sets sights on podium finish
Nepal Armed Police Force Club athlete Bindra Dhanke Shrestha is keeping a modest target in the ninth Kantipur Half Marathon scheduled for May 25 in Kathmandu.Sports Bureau
Nepal Armed Police Force Club athlete Bindra Dhanke Shrestha is keeping a modest target in the ninth Kantipur Half Marathon scheduled for May 25 in Kathmandu.
The 36-year-old veteran claimed the 2012 title and finished in third place last year but remains humble saying: “I want to at least finish in podium places. Every professional athletes will be gunning for the title. So it will be difficult to win. Finishing inside the top three would be satisfying for me,” said the APF athlete who secured a 5,000m bronze medal during eighth National Games held on April 18-24. She also ran the 10,000m but quit midway through the race as hot and humid local conditions took a toll on her.
She believes it would be tough to single out favourites as the field will be filled with experienced as well as some new talents. A mother five-year-old girl, Shrestha has been competing in the event regularly since 2015. She opted out of the 2013 and 2014 Kantipur Half Marathon event to take care of her newly-born baby.
“For my part I am training well. But from what I have seen in recent years, the field in getting bigger making the competition even tough,” said Shrestha, who sees Tribhuvan Army Club’s Bishwa Rupa Budha, Rajpura Pachhai of Nepal Police Club and Santoshi Shrestha of Province 3 among the tough competitors in the 21.1km race, given they all participate.
Shrestha lauded the efforts of the organisers in promoting anti-pollution drive.”It is really difficult to breathe in Kathmandu these days due to pollution and its really commendable that the event will help make public aware of the burning issue,” she said. “Everyone must get united and act responsibly to fight against pollution.”
Apart from men’s and women’s half marathon, the event also include 5km race for corporate and media along with 5km wheelchair competition.