Leh: Local runners lived up to the expectations, dominating high-altitude road races in Ladakh as Tsewang Kundan and Shabir Husain emerged champions in the Silk Route Ultra and Khardungla Challenge, respectively.
Kundan clocked 13 hours, 50 minutes, 01 seconds to claim the top honours in the grueling Silk Route Ultra, a 122-km race that runs through rugged Himalayan terrain.
He was followed by Phunchok Namgail (14:38:14) in second place, while Skarma Phurbu Tsering came third in 15:01:01.
In the Khardungla Challenge, a 72-km run over the world’s highest motorable pass at more than 17,500 feet, Husain clinched victory in 06:58:40, narrowly edging past Tsering Norboo (07:01:29) and Stanzin Namgyal (07:05:28) in a closely-fought race.
Rajasthan’s Sufiya Runner (19:12:36) and Namgyal Lhamo (8:31:47) were the winners in the women’s categories in the Silk Route and Khardungla Challenge respectively.
Both events are part of the Ladakh Marathon, considered among the toughest endurance competitions in the world because of the extreme altitude and thin air.
The races attract elite long-distance runners but are especially dominated by local athletes who are accustomed to the harsh Himalayan conditions.
“This is not just a race but a test of survival and spirit at some of the toughest altitudes in the world. The performance of Ladakhi runners shows how deeply endurance is rooted in this region,” said Chewang Motup Goba, chairperson of High Altitude Sports Foundation, and founder and organiser of the Ladakh Marathon.
