By a Staff Reporter
Kathmandu (HamroKhelkud) – Gopi Chandra Parki, the winner of the ninth Dhara Nepalgunj Marathon, is set to compete in the upcoming TCS London Marathon. The organizers of the Nepalgunj Marathon announced this development during a press conference held on Monday.
Expressing his gratitude, Gopi mentioned that the Nepalgunj Marathon holds special significance for him, as it provided him with an opportunity to qualify for the Olympics for the first time.
“When I won for the first time, the winner was supposed to qualify for the Olympics. This time, I got the chance to race in the London Marathon,” he said. “The route of the Nepalgunj Marathon is one of the best in Nepal. I will go for a good result in the London Marathon.
Scheduled for April 21st, the London Marathon will see Gopi competing with the support of Nepal UK Run. Santosh Rai, the representative of UK Run, highlighted their commitment to facilitate the participation of winners from events like the Nepalgunj Marathon and Half Marathon in the London Marathon in the future.
Tanka Lal Ghising, Member Secretary of the National Sports Council (NSC), mentioned the the council sees marathons in cities like Nepalgunj, Pokhara, and Kathmandu with great importance and stated the vital role of local bodies and NSC support in their success.
Deepak Bista, the National Team Preparation Director, asserted the importance of thorough preparation for achieving success and mentioned the council’s role in this.
TS Thakuri, the Founder and President of the Nepalgunj Marathon, expressed gratitude to UK Run for their support in taking Nepalese athletes to the international arena.
Gopi secured his victory in the ninth Dhara Nepalgunj Marathon, completing it in 2 hours 21 minutes 38 seconds. Gopi has two wins in the Nepalgunj Marathon and also has a gold medal from the 13th South Asian Games (SAG).
