Tenzin Dolma clinched the women’s Silk Route Ultra title, while Jigmet Stobdan and Disket Dolma emerged winners in the Khardung La Challenge

Ladakh’s Nawang Tsering produced a record-breaking performance at the 13th Ladakh Marathon on Friday, winning the 122-km Silk Route Ultra in 12 hours, 12 minutes and 18 seconds. The challenging race began at Kyagar village in Nubra Valley at an altitude of around 10,700 feet, before climbing to 17,618 feet at Khardung La and finishing in Leh. Tsering completed the demanding route in just over 12 hours. Rajasthan’s Suraj Meena finished second in 12:35:00 and set a new record for the fastest non-Ladakhi runner. Rigzin Gyurmeth secured third place with a timing of 12:51:21. In the women’s Silk Route Ultra, experienced Ladakh Marathon runner Tenzin Dolma claimed the title after finishing in 14:26:29. Sufiya Sufi Runner was second in 17:42:08, while Aditi Chaudhary finished third in 19:21:18. Sufiya, a five-time Guinness World Record holder known for completing long-distance runs, including her Kashmir-to-Kanyakumari run, added another major endurance challenge to her career. A three-time winner of the Ladakh Full Marathon, Tsering has established himself as one of India’s leading high-altitude endurance runners. He has also competed internationally, including at the CCC HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc in 2025.

Jigmet Stobdan Wins Khardung La Challenge

In the 72-km Khardung La Challenge, Jigmet Stobdan won the men’s race in a record-breaking time of 6:00:03. Shabir Hussain finished second in 6:26:24, followed by Singay Angchok in 6:34:12. Disket Dolma topped the women’s field with a timing of 7:03:26. Jigmet Dolma finished second in 8:33:16, while Neha Devi secured third place in 8:56:15. Ladakh Marathon founder and Race Director Chewang Motup Goba congratulated the winners and all the participants who completed the challenging races. He said the performances represented a remarkable human achievement, particularly given the extreme altitude. Goba also praised every runner who took part, noting that completing the race itself is a major accomplishment at such heights.

Veteran Runners Also Shine

Pawan Dhaka won the men’s veteran category in the Silk Route Ultra with a time of 16:10:17. Maik Becker finished second in 18:15:37, followed by Shivanand Dangwal in 18:30:22. Asha Singh was the only participant in the women’s veteran Silk Route Ultra category and completed the race in 21:15:45. In the veteran Khardung La Challenge, Konrad Von Allmen won the men’s title in 7:44:09. Rajinder Singh Bharaj finished second in 10:19:45, while Shivendra Singh Bisht was third in 10:32:24. Pooja Varma won the women’s veteran race in 11:19:03, followed by Rita Satich Patkar in 12:26:58 and Richika Goyal in 12:41:52.

Ladakh Marathon Draws Global Participation

The 2026 Ladakh Marathon attracted more than 7,200 registered participants from 35 of India’s 36 states and Union Territories, as well as more than 28 countries across all six inhabited continents. Organised by Rimo Expeditions and the High Altitude Sports Foundation, Ladakh, the four-day event features six races, including the 122-km Silk Route Ultra and the 72-km Khardung La Challenge. The Ladakh Marathon is recognised as the world’s highest AIMS-certified marathon and is also an Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group Qualifier. Since its launch in 2012, the event has grown into one of India’s most prominent international distance-running events. Alongside competitive running, the marathon also focuses on protecting Ladakh’s fragile Trans-Himalayan environment. Single-use plastics have been banned at race venues since 2019, while the junior race programme promotes environmental awareness by involving schoolchildren in collecting PET bottles as part of their participation.