Singh begins campaign with a bang

Nepalgunj, April 21

Gaurika Singh began the 21st National Swimming Tournament under the eighth National Games here at the Cygnett Hotel pool today.

The competition was shifted to the hotel after the organisers failed to meet the deadline to complete the new facility at the Nepalgunj Stadium pool. Singh, who represents Tribhuvan Army Club in the national tournaments, set new national record on her way to winning two gold medals on the opening day at the 25-metre pool.

Singh set new national record in women’s 50m backstroke heats breaking her own mark.

Singh completed the distance in 31.22 seconds in the morning session to better her own mark of 31.31 set during the 22nd National Open Championship. She returned to win gold medal in the finals with yet another record time finishing the race in 30.85 seconds. Anushka Pokharel of Nepal Police Club finished second in 37.78 seconds, while Yuska Maharjan of Nepal APF Club was third in 39.63 seconds.

Gaurika won the women’s 800m freestyle event with the timing of nine minutes and 39.22 seconds, finishing ahead of fellow TAC swimmer Upaasti Maharjan (11:09.82) and Sameera Thapa (11:16) of Nepal Police Club.

Tenzing NG Gurung and Shuvam Shrestha of APF also broke national records on the first day.

Gurung won the men’s 50m backstroke event with the record timing of 32.81 seconds, while Jayant Prakash Gurung (34.13) of Province-3 and Tarun Bhandari (34.59) of NPC were second and third respectively. Miraj Prajapati held the national record of 33.57 seconds set during the 14th FINA World Championship in Doha in 2014.

Shuvam Shrestha broke the national record in 100m breaststroke event on his way to winning gold in one minute and 08.15 seconds. NPC swimmers Sayed Hamza (1:08.87) and Dipankar Awale (1:13.37) won silver and bronze respectively.

In other events, Nathan Dorje Sherpa of NRNA won the men’s 800m freestyle gold in 9:17, while APF swimmers Naris Hussain (9:40.93) and Urgen Maharjan (10:19.91). Duana Lama of TAC claimed the women’s 100m breaststroke gold with the timing of one minute and 19.93 seconds, while APF swimmer Tisa Shakya came second in 1:21.06 and TAC’s Upaasti Maharjan was third in 1:21.32.

Duana Lama bagged her second gold medal of the day when she won the women’s 200m butterfly event in 2:40.09, finishing ahead of APF swimmers Shreebi Maharjan (3:13.13) and Diya Sthapit (3:24.69). Nathan Dorje Sherpa of NRNA also won his second gold medal. He won the men’s 200m butterfly with the timing of 2:18.10, ahead of TAC swimmer Anubhav Subba (2:18.97) and Sayed Hamza Shah (2:29.12) of NPC.

Archery

Tribhuvan Army Club and two clubs of Gandaki Province won five each gold medals in the ninth National Archery Tournament in Nepalgunj.

Ashim Sherchan defeated fellow Kaski Archery Club archer Mukesh Tamang 7-3 in the final of the men’s individual 70m Recurve event. Roshan Nagarkoti of Tribhuvan Army Club finished third. In women’s section, TAC archer Gyanu Awale defeated her teammate Mitra Rai 7-1. Kaski’s Keshari Ale Magar was third.

In team event, Kaski defeated Nepal Police Club 6-0 to win the gold medal, while TAC bagged bronze. Dambar Thapa and Aaisha Tamang won the mixed team event gold with a 6-2 victory over TAC teammates Roshan Nagarkoti and Gyanu Awale.

Likewise, Sabin Gurung of TAC defeated Best Group’s Pranjal Rai 6-0 to win the men’s 30m Individual Standard event, while Kamal Dani of TAC came third.

In women’s section, Annapurna Archery Club clean swept women’s section medals. Archana Thapa Magar beat Anusha Gurung 6-2, while Salina Gurung came third.

TAC archers Sabin Gurung and Manju Bajgain won the Standard Mixed Team event gold with a 6-4 victory over Raj Kumar Chhantyal and Archana Thapa of Annapurna.

Kanchanpur’s Bibek Rana and Lxmi Thapa bagged bronze.

In men’s team event, TAC and Annapurna made it to the final, while Annapurna set final date with TAC in mixed team event. In men’s 50m Individual Compound event, Jagri Gurung of Kaski defeated teammate Rajesh Rana 141-140, while Ramesh Bhattachan of Thasang Club came third. A total of 96 players took part in the tournament that offered 10 gold medals.

Athletics

Nir Pratap Mahato of Nepal APF Club and Tulasi Khatri of Tribhuvan Army Club won 400m gold medals in the 44th National Athletics Championship in Dang. Mahato won the men’s section race in 49.4 seconds finishing ahead of Shiva Raj Parki and Prakash Danuwar. In women’s section, Khatri completed the distance in , while TAC’s Sangita Meche and Aruna Rijal of Province-5 came second and third respectively.

APF’s Gopi Chanda Parki won men’s 5,000m gold with the timing of 14 minutes and 44.3 seconds.

Durga Budha of Karnali Province and Anish Thapa of Province-4 came finished second and third respectively. Santoshi Shrestha of Province-3, Bishwo Rupa Budha of TAC and Bindra Dhanke Shrestha of APF claimed top three spots respectively.

Nir Kumar Chaudhary of TAC won the men’s 110m hurdles gold with the timing of 15.6 seconds and finished ahead of Chandra Dev Joshi of NPC and Ashok Kunwar of TAC. Pramila Tharu won women’s section gold in 16.3 seconds, while Jayarani Chaudhary of Province-5 and Tulasa Shrestha of TAC came second and third respectively. APF won the men’s 4X100m relay gold ahead of TAC and Province-5, while TAC, APF and Province-5 claimed top three positions respectively.

In field event, Bhuwan Mahato of Province-5 jumped 14.06 metres to win the men’s triple jump gold medal finishing ahead of TAC athletes Dilli Khatri and Ashish Chaudhary. Shila Chaudhary of APF bagged women’s section gold with the jump of 11.4 metres, while Province-5 duo Puja Chaudhary and Sima Chaudhary came second and third respectively.

Weightlifting

South Asian Games silver medallist Bikash Thapa won the men’s 81kg section gold medal with three national records in the 24th National Weightlifting Championship. The NPC lifter Thapa lifted 115kg in snatch and 135 in clean and jerk for the total of 250kg. All three lifts are new national records. Mahesh Chaudhary and Santosh Chaudhary, both from APF, finished second and third respectively.

In 89kg, Dinesh Karki of TAC set two national records in clean and jerk and total on his way to winning the gold medal. He lifted 98 in snatch and 132 in c&j for a total of 230. Om Prakash Baishya set the snatch record of 99kg and lifted 130kg in c&j on his way to winning silver with the total lift of 229kg. APF’s Tilak Thapa came third with the total lift of 208.

The strongest woman of the country Tara Devi Pun of Nepal Police Club set three national records in 76kg weight category.

She lifted 74 in snatch and 97 in c&j for the total lift of 171kg. In the two-player field, Kalpana Chaudhary of Province-5 came second with 90kg in total.

In the women’s 71kg, NPC’s Raj Laxmi Thapa won gold medal with three national records. She lifted 63kg in snatch and 81kg in c&j for a total of 144kg. NPC’s Janaki Budha (130) and Pramila Chaudhary (78kg) of Province-2 came second and third respectively.

TAC’s Sarada Chaudhary also set three national records on her way to winning gold medal. She lifted 60kg in snatch and 82kg in c&j for the total lift of 142kg. Ram Kumari Chaudhary (103) of Province-5 and Puja Kumal (98) of NPC were second and third respectively.

On Saturday, 10th SA Games gold medallist Kamal Bahadur Adhikari won the 73kg section gold with three national records.

The TAC athlete lifted 120kg in snatch and 155 in c&j for the total lift of 275kg. TAC’s Yagya Bahadur Saru (222kg) and Manoj Yadav (193) of Province-2 came second and third respectively.

Cricket

Departmental sides Nepal APF Club, Tribhuvan Army Club and Nepal Police Club advanced to the men’s cricket tournament semi-finals along with Province-1.

APF will face Province-1, while TAC will take on NPC at the proposed Kohalpur International Stadium on Tuesday.

In women’s section, Province-1, Farwest, APF and Province-2 made it to the semi-finals in Lamahi, Dang. On Monday, Province-1 will take on Farwest, while APF will face Province-2.