Nawang Tsering Achieves Silk Route Ultra Record With 122-Km Run Completed In Just 12:12

Ladakh’s Nawang Tsering produced a record-breaking performance at the 13th Ladakh Marathon on Friday, winning the 122-km Silk Route Ultra in 12:12:18. Tsering completed one of the most demanding endurance races in the region after starting from Kyagar village in Nubra Valley at an altitude of approximately 10,700 feet, climbing to 17,618 feet at Khardung La and then descending towards the finish in Leh. His winning time of just over 12 hours underlined the scale of his achievement on a course known for its extreme altitude and demanding terrain.

Tsering’s victory was particularly significant because the ultra-marathon takes runners through some of Ladakh’s most challenging high-altitude terrain. The Silk Route Ultra covers 122 km, requiring competitors to manage a long-distance course while also dealing with a dramatic change in elevation. The route begins in the Nubra Valley before reaching the high point at Khardung La and eventually finishing in Leh. Tsering’s ability to complete the course in 12:12:18 earned him the new Silk Route Ultra record and made him one of the standout performers of this year’s marathon.

Rajasthan’s Suraj Meena finished second in the men’s race with a time of 12:35:00. His performance was also notable as he became the fastest non-Ladakhi runner to complete the Silk Route Ultra, according to the results. Meena’s finish added another significant mark to an event that has increasingly provided a platform for endurance runners to compete on one of the country’s most challenging high-altitude courses. The narrow gap between the leading runners also highlighted the intensity of the competition over the 122-km distance.

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The women’s Silk Route Ultra was won by seasoned Ladakh Marathon runner Tenzin Dolma, who completed the demanding course in 14:26:29. Dolma’s victory added another highlight to the event and demonstrated the depth of endurance talent competing across the marathon’s ultra-distance races. Her experience of the Ladakh Marathon proved valuable on a course where athletes have to maintain their pace and endurance across long stretches while negotiating significant changes in altitude.

The Khardung La Challenge also produced notable performances, with Jigmet Stobdan and Disket Dolma taking top honours in their respective categories. The challenge forms another major part of the Ladakh Marathon programme and places competitors against the region’s demanding mountain environment. The combination of endurance running and high-altitude conditions makes the event distinctive, attracting runners prepared to compete in terrain that presents challenges beyond those encountered in conventional road races.

The 13th Ladakh Marathon once again showcased Ladakh’s growing prominence as a destination for high-altitude endurance events while providing local and visiting runners with an opportunity to compete on an exceptionally demanding course. Nawang Tsering’s 12:12:18 finish in the 122-km Silk Route Ultra became the defining performance of the event, with the Ladakhi runner setting a new record on the route from Kyagar through Khardung La to Leh. Suraj Meena’s record for the fastest non-Ladakhi runner and Tenzin Dolma’s women’s victory further underlined the competitive nature of the race, while Jigmet Stobdan and Disket Dolma emerged as the leading performers in the Khardung La Challenge.

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