Kathmandu, April 18 -- Santoshi Shrestha is an undisputed favourite in any race she participates in. She won gold in the 10,000-metre race at the 2019 South Asian Games, the first South Asian gold by a Nepali woman in athletics. And since then, she has consistently dominated the women's category in domestic races. Fans and the media endearingly call her the 'golden girl'.

In fact, Shrestha had never suffered defeat in any of the domestic races she had run in years, until recently. When she was denied first place in the half-marathon at Lumbini Peace Marathon on March 21, many wondered if her dominance had finally come to an end. She was defeated by a thin margin of a minute and 30 seconds by Tribhuvan Army Club's Purnalaxmi Neupane.

The...