In a remarkable debut performance, New Zealand’s Jonah Smith emerged victorious at the 16th Kathmandu Marathon on Saturday.

Smith completed the 42.195 km course in an impressive 2 hours, 21 minutes and 45 seconds, overcoming torrential rain and challenging conditions to win the event. His win was particularly impressive, considering he was contending with both the unfamiliar course and the persistent rain.

Despite the inclement weather that saw heavy rain batter the Nepali capital, the marathon went ahead as scheduled, although the start time was delayed by an hour. The race, initially slated for 5am start, commenced at 6am from the Dashrath Stadium.

The decision to hold the marathon despite the heavy rain sparked controversy. Several sections of the course were waterlogged, raising safety concerns for participants. Local runners criticised the NRS Sports Foundation for not postponing the event, particularly given the severe weather warnings.

The organisers, however, maintained that rescheduling was not an option due to the international participation and pre-booked arrangements.

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Nepal’s Narendra Rawal secured second place, clocking 2:23:05. Rawal, a seasoned marathoner, put up a strong fight against Smith but ultimately fell short. He was followed by Kiran Singh Bogati, the 13th South Asian Games gold medalist, in third with a time of 2:31:44.

In the Marathon Masters category, Nikolay Lakhtikov claimed victory, finishing in 3:13:44 seconds. His endurance and experience shone through as he tackled the difficult course with determination.

In the women’s half marathon, Armed Police Force athlete Pushpa Bhandari claimed the title with a time of 1:28:14. Bhandari’s consistent performance under challenging conditions further cemented her dominance in the local running scene. Anna Stefan, a foreign participant, secured second place, completing the race in 1:37:13, while Charu Aryal rounded out the podium in third, finishing in 2:43:16.

The men’s half marathon saw Narendra Raut of the Tribhuvan Army Club take the top spot, finishing in 1:12:04. Raut’s victory was hard-fought, with Rajendra Tamang finishing closely behind in 1:14:02, and Bigyan Gurung completing the podium with a time of 1:16:26.

In the 5km Men’s Open race, Nageshwar Ayer of the Nepal Police Club claimed victory, completing the course in 18 minutes and 13.1 seconds. Meanwhile, Raju Bhandari triumphed in the 5km Men’s Masters race with a time of 23 minutes and 53.61 seconds.

The 5km school race also saw fierce competition. Aishma Acharya emerged as the winner in the girls’ section, finishing in 25 minutes and 15.4 seconds. Santosh Karki dominated the boys’ section, crossing the finish line in 14 minutes and 35 seconds.

As the Kathmandu Marathon continues to grow in stature, the 2024 edition will likely be remembered for the fierce competition. The resilience of the runners, many of whom faced the most challenging conditions in the event’s history, will also stand out.