London: The London Marathon has set a new world record for the highest number of applicants for a single race, with 1,133,813 registrations for the 2026 edition, announced Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events. This surpasses all previous global records for marathon entries.

This year’s 42-kilometer race also saw a record-breaking 56,640 runners cross the finish line, making it the largest in history. Of the global participants, over 100 runners were from Nepal.

Nepal’s ‘Golden Girl’ Breaks Record in London
Among them, Nepal's national runner Santoshi Shrestha, often dubbed the ‘Golden Girl’, marked her debut at the London Marathon with an impressive new national record. She completed the course in 2 hours, 42 minutes, and 50 seconds, surpassing her previous personal best.

Santoshi, who represented Nepal in the Paris Olympics, initially felt overwhelmed in the massive crowd, but regained focus mid-race. “At first, I felt completely lost. But I reminded myself that I was running for myself and my country, and that gave me strength,” she said.

Despite struggling to locate the finish track in the chaos, the emotional high came when the organizers called her name and country aloud. “That moment of hearing ‘Nepal’ in front of millions brought indescribable pride,” she said.

Shrestha previously broke the national marathon record in Dhaka in 2024 with a time of 2:46:23, surpassing Pushpa Bhandari’s 2:48:00. She was the first Nepali woman in 28 years to represent Nepal in the Olympic marathon, finishing the Paris Olympic race in 2:55:06.

Now aiming to run all the major international marathons, Santoshi hopes to inspire a new generation of athletes, particularly those not affiliated with departmental teams.

Nepal Run UK Makes Global Mark
Adding to Nepal’s pride, Santosh Rai, founder of Nepal Run UK, completed the marathon in Nepal’s traditional Daura Suruwal, clocking 2:59:47, securing a Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon in national dress. All 96 runners from the Nepal Run UK team completed the race.

Nepalis beyond the official Nepal Run UK contingent also participated independently.

Elite Results
In the elite category, Kenya’s Sebastian Sabe claimed the men’s title with 2:02:27, while Ethiopia’s Tist Asifa won the women’s race in 2:15:50.

With record-breaking participation, powerful performances, and global unity, the 2024 London Marathon was one for the history books—especially for Nepal.