Sunmaya Budha returned from a record-breaking win in Italy. Nepal barely noticed

Sunmaya Budha conquered one of trail running's toughest races and rewrote its course record. But back in Kathmandu, her arrival raised fresh questions over how Nepal treats its international champions.

On Saturday, June 27, Sunmaya Budha was crowned the new queen of the Lavaredo Ultra Trail 120K in Italy after winning the race’s 19th edition. After conquering a gruelling 120-kilometre course with more than 5,800 metres of elevation gain, she crossed the finish line to a roar from hundreds of spectators. Budha held the finishing tape, raised her arms in triumph and was celebrated as a champion.