KATHMANDU, March 27: Mahadev Secondary School of Kolputar, Nuwakot, is set to organize the first edition of Jhultung Cross Country Race at Kolputar on April 1.

Being held under the technical support of Nepal Athletics Association (NAA), the event will feature two events -- 13.4 km and 5 km races.

At a press event in Kathmandu on Sunday, the organizer said the 13.4 km race will see participation of national-level athletes, while the 5 km event will be taken part by school-level students.

The race will start from Kolputar and will finish at the same venue after passing through Raptar, Khadkachhap and Lamachaur. The organizer has expected 60 participants in the 13.4 km race and 100 in the 5 km version.

“The main objective of the event is to attract students towards sports. We also want to make our race route familiar among national-level athletes as we believe this route is suitable for cross-country race,” said Mahadev Secondary School Principal Kedar Prasad Nepal.

NAA’s Vice-president Sushil Narsingh Rana said such events would help produce and promote distance athletes. “I am hopeful this event will be able to attract a huge number of national-level athletes,” said Rana, who is also a senior athletics coach.

The race route consists of 5 km uphill, 2km flat and 6 km downhill courses, according to Rana.

Meanwhile, NAA Secretary General Sunil Rajbanshi said given cross-country races are held very rarely in the country, the Nepali athletics governing body was delight to support the event.

“The number of marathon and half marathon competitions is quite high, but cross-country races are held very infrequently. So we are happy to support this event as it is going to be helpful for the entire Nepali athletics sector,” said Rajbanshi.

 
• mahadev secondary school
 
• kolputar
 
• nuwakot
 
• jhultung cross country race