Nepalese runner bags Qomolangma Marathon title again

Xinhua, May 29, 2012

Nepali runner Phurbu Tamang regained the title in the world highest Qomolangma Marathon race on Tuesday in Nepal at the foothills of Mt. Qomolangma.

Tamang won the men's open category in three hours, 48 minutes and 41 seconds. Tamang has also won here in 2009 and 2010.

Kumar Rajbhandari finished second in 3:54:51, while last year's winner Sudip Kulung Rai on third.

The race set off from near the famous Khumbu Ice Fall at Qomolangma Base Camp (5,364 meters above sea level) and the finish was at Namche Bazar (3,440 meters above sea level).

The Guinness Book of World Records lists the race the highest altitude marathon that makes it more adventurous and one of the toughest races in the world.

This is the 10th edition of Tenzing-Hillary Marathon which commemorates the first successful ascent of Mt. Qomolangma by Nepal's Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and New Zealand' s Sir Edmund Hillary on May 29, 1953.

A total of 93 foreigners and 62 Nepalese runners took part in this year's race.