Two young farmers from Darjeeling, Som Bahadur Thami, 27, and Hemant Limbu, 26, who took to sprinting without formal training, have been selected to represent India at The World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, 2023, in Austria.

The Athletics Federation of India in an announcement stated: “The Indian team for the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships to be held from 05th to 10th June 2023 at Innsbruck-Stubai, Austria is announced.”

The five-member team comprises Sampath Kumar Subramanian, Som Bahadur Thami and Sannat Sachdev for short trail, Hemant Limbu for long trail and Sagar Khemani for mountain classic up-and-down race.

Thami’s short trail is a 45km race. Limbu’s long trail is 85km run. The mountain classic covers a distance of 13.7km.

The selection of Thami and Limbu, both residents of Rimbick, about 70km from Darjeeling, is an inspiring story.

Thami shot to fame last year when he won the 65km Buddha Trails that criss-crossed Bengal’s highest point Sandakphu at an altitude of 11,929 ft.

The time he took — seven hours, 21 minutes and seven seconds — is a Buddha Trails record.

However, Thami did not even have the basic gear needed for such a physically gruelling competition.

Thami had come to the village market of Rimbick from his village in Gurdung a day before when he “just felt like” participating in the event at the last moment. He had just once run a marathon in 2017. Otherwise, he is a hill farmer like any other and tends to his fields, collects firewood and grass.

Limbu’s story, too, is as inspiring as Thami. He started running informally since 2017 and discovered a natural flair.

The Austria run, however, has posed new challenges to the runners.

To start with, the duo do not have passports. “They have recently applied for one,” said Darjeeling-based athletics coach Mongia Sherpa, who has been guiding the duo of late.

Obtaining visas is another hurdle. The biggest worry, however, pertains to funds as both have to foot the entire expense.

“We are in touch with the organisers to draw up a cot estimate,” said Sherpa, who is hopeful that the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), hill politicians and Darjeeling’s people would help fund the trip.

He said trail runs, because of the up-and-down climbs involved, are considered more difficult than marathons.

“For example, at a trailrun in Himachal, the participants climbed 7,000 feet by running 100km. Marathons are easier as they are runon a flat surface,” saidSherpa.

The duo have started training for the event.

“We will give it our best shot,” smiled Lepcha.