Basnet creates history in marathon

Nepalgunj, April 22

Krishna Basnet and Durga Buda broke the two-hour-twenty-minute mark in marathon for the first time in the National Athletics Championship under the eighth National Games at the Beljhundi Stadium in Dang today.

The Tribhuvan Army Club athlete Basnet completed the 42.195km course in two hour, 17 minutes and 33 seconds to finish first, while Buda came second in 2:18:39. This is the first time Nepali athletes finished below two hours and 20 minutes on home soil. Basnet also recorded his personal best timing of 2:20.51 set on his way to defending the CoAS Marathon title in March. Khim Bahadur Khatri of Nepal APF Club won bronze medal with the timing of 2:22.90.

Legendary marathon runner Baikuntha Manandhar holds the national record of 2:15.03 — set in the third edition of the South Asian Federation Games in Kolkata in 1987 on his way to winning the third consecutive gold medal in marathon with the South Asian record timing.

TAC coach Pushpa Raj Ojha said the competition was fierce in marathon and that the top two athletes ran with awesome pace. “Durga Buda really pushed hard from behind and that helped Krishna Basnet finish first in record time,” said Ojha, the 1986 Los Angeles Olympic Games 800m race participant. “I was impressed with the way these two marathon athletes ran today. We can hope for even better results from them in the South Asian Games,” he added.

In women’s section, Rajpura Pachhai of Nepal Police Club won gold in 2:59:38, while APF athlete Pushpa Bhandari came second in 3:00:59 and Sarita Basi of TAC was third in 3:08.03.

A total of 20 athletes took part in marathon.

Out of 14 participants, only 10 athletes completed the race, while one of the six athletes in women’s category quit the race.

TAC won the 4X100m relay gold medals. TAC won the men’s section race in 43.19 seconds, finishing ahead of APF (43.40) and NPC (44.55). Likewise, TAC bagged women’s category gold with the timing of 50.56 seconds, while Province-5 (51.66) and APF (53.12) came second and third respectively.

Nir Pratap Mahato of APF won the men’s 400m hurdles with the timing of 55.60 seconds, finishing ahead of TAC athletes Jeevan Chaudhary (56.49) and Ashok Kunwar (57.44).

Olympian Saraswoti Bhattarai of TAC won her third gold medal of the meet when she finished first in women’s 800m race. Bhattarai came home in two minutes and 18.38 seconds, while TAC athlete Sanu Maya Karki (2:17.94) and APF’s Fulmati Rana (2:18.38) came second and third respectively.

TAC athlete Tulasa Shrestha won the 400m hurdles in 1:09.09, finishing ahead of her teammate Tulasa Khatri (1:11.13) and Kalpana Shrestha (1:12.78) of Province-4. Likewise, Umesh Marsyangdi Magar of TAC claimed the men’s 800m race gold medal with the timing of one minute and 57.55 seconds, finishing ahead of his teammate Tanka Karki (1:58.05) and Subas Thapa (1:58.53) of Province-3.

TAC won the team championship with 21 gold, 12 silver and eight bronze medals, while APF finished second with eight gold, five silver and nine bronze medals. NPC were third with three gold, five silver and four bronze medals. The championship featured 36 gold medals.

TAC coach Ojha said the departmental missed the services of Som Bahadur Kumal, who is in Qatar to participate in the Asian Athletics Championship, on their bid of breaking the previous mark of 22 gold medals won in the seventh National Games. “He would have won three gold medals and we were also a little bit slow in hurdles,” he added.

Shooting

Shreya KC of Province-5 won the women’s 10m Air Pistol section gold medal in the National Shooting Tournament in Nepalgunj. KC accumulated 551 points to finish first ahead of Krishna Thapa (536) of Province-5 and Sima Tuladhar (530) of Nepal Police Club. Likewise, Province-5 team of Krishna Thapa and Badaruddin Ansari claimed the mixed team event gold with 721 points, edging past their Province teammates Kabhi Pun and Shreya KC (719). Anil Thakuri and Sima Tuladhar of NPC came third in 704 points. In 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team event, Fulmaya Kyapchhaki and Hari Bahadur Thapa of NPC earned 745 points to win gold medal, while TAC pairs Mira Banjara and Suse Chaudhary (741) and Kalpana Pariyar and Sujan Rana Magar (736) came second and third respectively.

Gymnastics

Raju Rai bagged five gold medals in the National Gymnastics Championship in Nepalgunj. Rai, who had won seven gold medals in the previous edition of the National Games in Eastern Region, added a silver medal in vaulting table. Rai won gold medals in floor, parallel bars, pommel horse, all-round and team event. Ujjwal Tiwari of Province-3 won gold ahead of Rai. In women’s section, Province-3 on gold medal in team event, while APF’s Pinky Jhang bagged golds in vaulting and floor. Tara Shiwakoti of Province-3 claimed women’s allround gold medal.

Sepak Takraw

Tribhuvan Army Club clean swept gold medals in the fifth National Sepak Takraw Tournament in Gulariya, Bardiya. TAC registered a 21-17, 21-12 in the final of the men’s doubles final. TAC had earlier won the gold medals in women’s doubles, men’s regu and women’s regu events. Players from six teams — TAC, Province-1, Province-3, Gandaki, Province-5 and Farwest — took part in the tournament that offered four gold medals.