Hill runner Roshni Rai in China mountain marathon

Roshni Rai who hails from Pedong near Kalimpong and has taken part in almost 40 races has been invited to China to participate in a mountain marathon that will be held tomorrow.

The corporate lawyer will run the Xingyi International Mountain Marathon at Guizhou as the goodwill ambassador to the Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon.

Before leaving for China last night, Roshni said: "I am about to fly to China to represent India in Xingyi marathon. I will run in the capacity of a goodwill ambassador. At the China marathon I will be promoting the Everest Marathon."

The Everest run is an annual event organised by the Nepal-based Himalaya Expeditions and Roshni was made its ambassador this year. The highest point of the race is at 17,000ft.

The event is held on May 29, the day Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary climbed the Everest in 1953.

Roshni, 35, who stays in Mumbai said: "The invitation letter for the (China) marathon reached very late#. I could apply for visa only on September 20 and thankfully, I got it."

The run is organised by the Mountaineering Administrative Center of General Administration of Sport of China, Chinese Mountaineering Association, the Sport Administration of Guizhou Province and Peoples' Government of Qianxinan Prefecture.

"I am really excited to participate in the marathon, which is also part of the China Mountain Marathon Series. Coming from the foothills of Kanchenjungha, it is a pleasure to participate in the mountain marathon. I have been told that the organisers are already calling me 'Daughter of Kanchenjungha'," said Roshni.

The full marathon will cover 42.195km and the highest point of the track is at 4,248ft.

Roshni said she will run the entire distance and is also thinking of running the "Ultra Marathon" that would be held on September 25.

Roshni started participating in marathons from 2007 and has taken part in 40 races, including two in UK, one in Czech Republic and one in South Africa. She runs an NGO, Run with Roshni Foundation, in Mumbai that promotes athletes from the Darjeeling hills. The foundation also organises a half marathon in Kalimpong.

The winner and first-runner up of this year's Everest run, Bed Sunawar and Purna Tamang, respectively, will compete in China tomorrow. Both are from Nepal.(TT)