Bista, Shahi, Shakya make easy passage

Himalayan News Service

KATHMANDU: Deepak Bista, Manita Shahi and Ayesha Shakya were among the 10 taekwondo players selected for the 11th South Asian Games slated for January 29 to February 9 next year in Dhaka.


The Nepal Taekwondo Association picked up final six men and four women taekwondo players for the upcoming region meet. All the winners of the final match held today were selected for the SA Games. Three-time SA Games gold medallist and two-time South Asian Games bronze winner Bista made an easy passage beating Armyman Hemjung Raut 10-1 in the 87kg category. Bista is the only second Nepali player after Sangina Baidhya, also a taekwondo player, to qualify for the Olympics.


In the final round of selection tournament, 10th SA Games silver medallist Kumar Manandhar survived a stiff challenge from his fellow Policeman Ganesh Khadka to qualify for the 63kg event. Manandhar edged Khadka 4-2 in added time after tying 11-11 in the normal time.


Ashis Maharjan of Armed Police Force defeated Anoj Pujari 8-6 of Central Region in the 68kg category while Dan Bahadur Aire of Nepali Army edged past Bharat Bohara of APF 4-2 in extra time after an 8-8 deadlock in the 74kg category.


Ramesh Kumar Shrestha of Nuwakot and Badri Nath Basnet of Nepali Army were also selected for the region meet after winning their final selection matches. Ramesh Kumar eased to comfortable 9-1 victory over Policeman Dambar Narayan Chaudhary in the 80kg category while Badri Nath laboured to a 5-4 win over Ramji Dahal of Nepal Police in the 87kg category.


Selected for the women’s event were Manita Shahi, Ayesha Shakya, Yan Kumari Chaulagain and Sabina Maharjan. The 10th South Asian Games gold medallist and 15th Asian Games bronze winner Shahi defeated Sangita Basyal 17-4 in the below 57kg category. Shakya, the 10th SA Games silver medallist and 15th Asian Games bronze winner, also had an easy time beating Apsara Karki 9-1 in the below 53kg category.


Sabina Maharjan also earned a ticket to Dhaka with a narrow 4-2 win over Laxmi Rana in the below 49kg category. Yan Kumari Chaulagain secured a berth for the region meet for the second time in a row. Chaulagain was qualified for the 10th SA Games but was forced to quit due to jaundice. She overcame Sangita Shrestha 8-3 in final of the below 46kg category today.

10 wrestlers selected

KATHMANDU: Nepal Wrestling Association on Wednesday selected 10 wrestlers for the 11th South Asian Games scheduled for January 29 to February 9 in Dhaka next year. Among the selected Nepali wre-stlers were Mukta Alam and Subhash Yadav of Bara (60kg), Bunni Lal Yadav of Bara and Manoj Kumar Yadav of Siraha (74kg), Rajesh Yadav of Parsa and San-desh Pandit of Bara (84kg), Pralahd Yadav of Nawalparasi and Brij Kishor Yadav of Paras (below 96kg) and Saty-endra Yadav of Bara and Nagendra Yadav of Siraha (above 96kg).