Bal Joshi runs Antarctic marathon in traditional dress

KATHMANDU: Nepali-American runner Bal Joshi made history by completing a 42 km Antarctic marathon in daura-suruwal, becoming the first to do so.

Battling -20°C temperatures, he waved both Nepali and American flags at the finish.

The race, part of the World Marathon Challenge “777”, featured 56 runners from 32 countries.

The challenge spans seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, starting in Antarctica (Jan 31) and ending in Miami (Feb 6), with stops in Cape Town, Perth, Dubai, Madrid, and Brazil.

Born in Surkhet, Nepal, 41-year-old Joshi lives in Grapevine, Texas and works as a banker.

Running since 2021 for health and social causes, he has completed over two dozen marathons worldwide.