Nepal’s track and field athletes train for the Asian Para Games on their own terms
At around 7:30am on September 21, four athletes began their drill on the synthetic track of Dasharath Stadium in Tripureshwar, Kathmandu. They stretched their body, walked and sprinted to the whistle of coach Bimala Rana Magar, a former Olympian who represented Nepal in the women’s marathon at Atlanta 1996. Under Bimala’s tutelage, Prabha Angdembe, Shristi Dhewaju, Nawaraj Karki and Chet Narayan Khanal ‘Samir’ are training for the 5th Asian Para Games, which is kicking off in Nagoya, Japan, on October 18.
Prabha is participating in women’s 400 metres and long jump, while Shristi is competing in women’s 100 metres. Nawaraj will compete in men’s 400 metres and 100 metres. Samir is running in men’s 100 metres and 1,500 metres.
Across town, about seven kilometres north-west of Dasharath Stadium, three more athletes—Himal Aryal, Raju Gurung and Mohan Roka—are training at the Army Rehabilitation Centre near Balaju. They strap themselves into a custom-made metal seat, taking turns launching shot puts, discus and javelins into the open air.
Each of these seven para athletes arrived at this stage through distinct personal struggles—ranging from long public bus commutes to unpaid leave and self-funded diet and equipment. Not to mention the necessity to adapt their routines and techniques to their individual disabilities.
Yet, training without any state sponsorship, they are bound by a shared conviction: they refuse to view themselves as victims. Nepal’s para athletics squad is preparing for Asia’s biggest athletic stage entirely on its own terms, powered by pure self-reliance and an “addiction” to sport.
