Renowned Nepali trail runner Sunmaya Budha has been unable to participate in the Mount Fuji 100 event under the World Trail Majors 2026 series due to denial of her visa application to Japan. The Asia Pacific Adventure Athletic Agent based in Hong Kong confirmed that the Japanese embassy rejected her visa. Last year, as the World Trail Majors champion, Sunmaya also missed the first competition in Spain because she was unable to secure a flight ticket due to instability in the Middle East.
Kathmandu, 11th Baisakh – Asia Pacific Adventure Athletic Agent (APA Athlete), managing Sunmaya’s race participation, announced on their Facebook page this Friday that she will miss the World Trail Majors competition because of the visa denial by Japan. Despite being an elite world-class athlete, the Japanese embassy in Nepal refused to grant Sunmaya the visa, which the agency expressed regret over.
APA Athlete stated, “Sunmaya intended to compete in the Mount Fuji 100-mile race this weekend, and despite having an invitation letter and all necessary documents from the organizers, the Japanese embassy rejected her visa application. She is considered one of the top professional athletes globally in her sport.”
The agency added, “This is truly a heartbreaking situation. The embassy did not give her the opportunity to provide additional documents or evidence and imposed a six-month ban on reapplying. This has been a deeply disappointing experience.” Last year’s World Trail Majors 2025 champion, Sunmaya was also unable to participate in the first World Trail Series event held in Spain this year, caused by flight ticket issues stemming from Middle East circumstances. Sunmaya was excited about the new season, but ongoing challenges have prevented her from competing consistently. Not only Sunmaya but also the international ultra trail community and Nepal’s Belarjumb have expressed deep regret over her absence from the races.
