Sprinting to Success: Shantoshi Shrestha

In a sport mostly dominated by athletes from the Army and the Police, bursts through an ever ascending athlete, one that has managed to put the entire Nepali athletics scene on notice of her talents.

Shantoshi Shrestha, Nepal’s athletic sensation has already made a name for herself as a serial winner. Having recently won a half marathon in Nepalgunj beating the previous titleholder, Pushpa Bhandari.

Shrestha already has two wins in this post-COVID world having already won another half marathon earlier this year. In winning the earlier “Run for Protein” half marathon she set the national record with a time of 1 hours 14 minutes and 14 seconds.

She’s conquered the international and the domestic scene for many years already. From her gold medal at the 2019 SAG games (making history as the first woman gold medalist in athletics in Nepal) to her wins in the 5,000 meter races at the National Games and countless other wins in the long distance running format. Shrestha truly has been a leading figure in the athletics division for the recent years.

Some of her other accolades among the 70 races she has participated in, include winning the LigLige race in Gorkha for 4 times and also winning the Tamura City long distance race in Japan as a guest participant.

Shrestha now has her sights set on the Asian Games being held in China, looking to earn gold for Nepal in athletics.

Beyond the superstar athlete life, she dons multiple identities in society. From being a student to a Public Health Official. Currently she is completing her Post-Graduate Diploma in Dietetics and Public Health Nutrition. Having done her Master’s in Public Administration and graduate in Public health she looks to become something more than just a mere athlete in the field.

Her athletic education and training is conducted by Nepali Olympian Raghuraj Onta, training her using international training plans and methodologies.

Having started running at the age of 13, despite not having the proper means to pursue a career in athletics she never let the obstacles in her life define her, always looking to be something more than what she was told to be. She emerges as a role model aspiring sportswomen in Nepal can look to emulate, forging their own paths forward through sheer will and dedication followed by utter domination of the field they look to succeed in.