The 19th successful Pokhara Marathon organized by Nepal Ex-Sports Forum is happening on Saturday. This time the forum has put forward the slogan 'Let's run for regular international air flights in Pokhara'. According to the schedule of organizing Pokhara Marathon on Saturday of the first week of February every year, this year it is going to be held on February 3.

In a press conference held in Pokhara on Thursday, President Dil Bahadur Gurung said that all preparations for the marathon have been completed. According to him, there will be races in 14 different categories in the marathon this year. There will be open marathon 42.195 km, Gandaki state level open marathon, half marathon, female/male 10 km run, school level student/girl 5 km run, above 50 years veterans female/male 5 km run. Includes the 'Run for Fun' genre. 

Under the Pokhara Marathon, women's/men's wheelchair and blind women's/men's races have been completed on January 26. In the open marathon, the winner will get Rs 5 lakh, the second runner-up will get Rs 3 lakh and the third runner-up will get Rs 2 lakh. The fourth will get Rs 30,000, the fifth will get Rs 25,000, the sixth will get Rs 20,000, the seventh will get Rs 15,000 and the eighth will get Rs 10,000.

The organizers have arranged a separate prize to encourage the runners of Gandaki province towards the open marathon. President Gurung said that only the prize money of the competition will cost 21 lakh 34 thousand rupees and the entire cost of the marathon is estimated at 1 crore 89 thousand rupees. "To increase the attraction of foreign runners, the prize money should be increased," he said. Coordinator Khem Gurung said that the route of Pokhara Marathon has also been certified by AIIMS. He said that Pokhara Marathon is the only technology-friendly marathon in Nepali Marathon. ``We have been using chips for two years,'' he said. 150 runners including 80 foreigners from 21 countries are participating in the

open marathon. 8 of them are women. In half marathon, 40 people from 10 countries, 110 people including 10 foreigners for men, 211 people from 11 countries for 10 km men, 119 people including 11 foreigners for 10 km women, 60 people for 5 km veterans (50 years old) men and women, 1470 people for 5 km students and 1 thousand 25 people for female students have registered in total 3 thousand 175 people.