Sunmaya Budha smashes 11-year record to conquer Italy’s Lavaredo 120K – The Himalayan Times – Nepal’s No.1 English Daily Newspaper

KATHMANDU, JUNE 28

Nepali trail runner Sunmaya Budha continued her remarkable rise on the international stage by winning the prestigious La Sportiva Lavaredo Ultra Trail 120K in Italy, setting a new women’s course record in the process.

Budha completed the demanding 121.7-kilometre race, featuring nearly 5,963 metres of elevation gain, in 13 hours, 33 minutes and 18 seconds on June 27, eclipsing the previous course record that had stood for 11 years, according to the race organisers.

The 19th edition of the iconic ultra-trail race began late on June 26 in the mountain town of Cortina d’Ampezzo, with runners traversing the spectacular Dolomite mountain range, including the renowned Tre Cime di Lavaredo at sunrise.

Organisers described Budha’s victory as “a perfectly controlled race from the very start.” She ran alongside Australia’s Lucy Bartholomew during the early stages before increasing her pace in the decisive sections to pull away and secure a historic victory.

During the race, organisers had reported Bartholomew leading the women’s field with Budha closely following before the Nepali runner launched her decisive attack in the final section.

The latest triumph adds another milestone to Budha’s rapidly growing international career. In November last year, she became the first Nepali athlete to win the World Trail Majors title after claiming victory at the Ultra-Trail Cape Town 100K in South Africa.

The runner from Patarasi Rural Municipality in Jumla has emerged as one of Asia’s leading trail athletes in recent years, consistently delivering podium finishes in elite international competitions.

Her latest victory further strengthens Nepal’s reputation in global trail running, a sport in which Nepali endurance athletes have increasingly excelled while drawing international attention to the country’s mountain running heritage.