Runner Santoshi Shrestha, who became a Golden Girl after winning gold, has set 5 records in four different disciplines in a year.
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For runner Santoshi Shrestha, the year 2082 was a year of dreams coming true. Santoshi, who never loses in domestic races, has this time fulfilled the national record set for years in the middle distance and the dream of crossing the marathon distance in 2 hours and 40 minutes.
She says, ‘It is a big success for me. I have been able to achieve both successes in one year.’ It has been 3 years since Santoshi moved towards the marathon after leaving the middle distance race. Santoshi, who gained height from her success in the 5,000 and 10-meter races, was far from the national record in the same category. That was becoming an unfulfilled dream for her. The records for both events had been established in the name of Kanchhimaya Koju for years. ‘I had been trying for years, but I was not able to break Didi (Kanchhimaya)’s record. I was able to break the record when I had left that event and gone to the long distance. This made me even happier,' Santoshi's face reflected the thirst that had been quenched for years. She broke a record that had stood for almost two decades. She got that opportunity at the South Asian Senior Athletics Championships held in New Delhi last October. She won bronze in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, along with national records.
Even before going to the next Paris Olympics in 2024, she had a dream of running the marathon distance in 2 hours and 40 minutes. Santoshi, who was participating in the Olympics for the first time, could not fulfill that resolve in Paris. She did run the distance in 2 hours, 55 minutes and 5 seconds on the difficult Paris marathon route. But her dream remained intact.
A year later, Santoshi made her dream come true. Last December, she turned her dream into reality by running the distance in 2 hours, 40 minutes and 23 seconds at the 42K Valencia Marathon. Where she also broke her own national record. Earlier this year, Santoshi set a national record of 2 hours 42 minutes 50 seconds while running the London Marathon. She improved it by two minutes in Valencia.
‘Record, dream time and international medal’ winning in the same year She says that it is not just a coincidence for her but the result of years of hard work. Santoshi said, ‘This year has been incredibly precious for me. The dream of running a marathon in 2 hours 40 minutes came true. I feel that the long wait filled with fear, tears, emotions and dreams has finally come true at once.’
A successful middle-distance runner, Santoshi began her long-distance journey by setting a record of 2 hours 46 minutes 26 seconds in the Bangabandhu Dhaka Marathon three years ago. After winning gold at the 13th South Asian Games (SAG) held in Nepal in 2019, Santoshi, who created the ‘Golden Girls’ image with controversy, has now changed. She is becoming a 'record holder' runner. She was known as the 'Golden Girls' as she was the first female athlete to win an international gold medal in Nepali athletics. Last year, she managed to set 5 national records in not only the marathon, but also the half marathon, 5,000 and 10,000 meters. That is why her identity has changed to that of a record holder.
She won two bronze medals, including a national record, in the 5,000 (time, 16:34.61) and 10,000 (time, 34:47.77) meters of the South Asian Senior Athletics Championship held in Kartik. That was her first official medal in an international championship. A month before that, she had set a national record in the Delhi Half Marathon. Where her timing was 1 hour 15 minutes 7 seconds. Santoshi says that she achieved those achievements with hard work, continuous planning, faith and guidance from her coach and mentor, and the support and help of her family and friends. She says, ‘Five national records in four different disciplines still don’t seem real. Before this happened, I thought it was impossible, but with continuous effort, I proved myself worthy. This is the year I have been waiting for for many years.’
Santoshi, who is currently in the national training camp for Mission 2026 (Japan Asian Games), is continuing her running journey outside the departmental team. Santoshi, who is pursuing her studies and sports in parallel, once thought that she could become a national champion even outside the departmental team (Army, Police and APF). Indeed, those thoughts and dreams of hers are landing safely. Santoshi was born in Sunkhani, Jwalamukhi Rural Municipality-6, Dhading. She currently lives with her mother in Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu. Santoshi, who completed her SLC from Geetamata High School in Bijeshwari, has done her MPA (Master of Public Administration) from Tribhuvan University. She is also a student of Sports Science, having done a Post Graduate Diploma in Nutrition and Public Health.
She was participating in running since she was in 6th-7th grade. Before participating in the 13th South Asian Games (SAG), Santoshi had won more than 5 dozen medals in competitions like National Games, National Championships, Track and Road Race. She is a runner who is progressing under the training and guidance of former Olympian runner Raghuraj Vant. Santoshi considers Vant as the main source of inspiration for her success. Santoshi has a history of winning gold medals in almost all the domestic competitions she has participated in. She has won more than 40 gold medals. Those medals were from 5 km, 10 km and half marathon races held in various places in the country. She also has experience in international competitions including the 19th Asian Games (China), the Venlo Half Marathon (Netherlands), the Padborn 10K (Germany), the Istanbul Half Marathon (Turkey), and the Maldivian Championship.
Santoshi's long-distance steps began with the Kantipur Half Marathon. At that time, she was establishing herself in the middle distance. She had already won the title in the 5 km corporate category of the Kantipur Half Marathon four times. After that, she felt like running the half marathon. She felt uncomfortable because she was running in the middle distance, but she did not lose courage. She came in second place, surprising her coach and herself. 'I did not expect myself, I could not complete such a long race. When the results came out, even the teacher was surprised. But with the success achieved in the middle distance, I completed 21 km for the first time,' Santoshi recalled the moment 5 years ago.
Since then, her half marathon steps have not stopped. She has been successful in all the competitions she has participated in. She won the Kantipur Half Marathon last year in her third attempt. 'I didn't just have the title of the half marathon where I started, everyone wanted me to win this competition, but I finally managed to complete it,' Santoshi said after becoming the champion of the 13th edition of the Kantipur Half Marathon last year. Another achievement of hers this year is becoming the brand ambassador of Nepal Run UK. Which manages Santoshi's participation in international competitions.
Half marathons are now among the many races organized in Nepal. Santoshi has gained experience and success in all of them. She wants to see more marathon events organized with more and more people participating. ‘If the prizes and management are good in all aspects, along with health and safety, there will be more participants, which will lead to tough competition, which will allow the athletes to upgrade themselves, and the level will also increase,’ says Santoshi, ‘In terms of health awareness, there should be races with high participation from the public.’
Santoshi believes that the Kantipur Half Marathon has become a awaited event for national athletes as well due to its continuous organization. She understands that it will be easier for athletes to make their own schedule and play since it will be organized annually. She believes that when ordinary people also participate in festival-like running events, it will be good for their personal health and if they are inspired by running, it will also open the way to becoming an athlete. She says, ‘I learned a lot from running, I learned to take risks, I learned to endure. Competition teaches you to win, it also teaches you to lose. It teaches you to believe in yourself and move forward. It teaches you that struggle leads to success. So you too should start running in such events.’
