Taekwondo ‘expects big’ from SA Games

Kathmandu, November 26

Chief coach Nabin Shrestha claimed taekwondo would be the highest gold medal winning sports discipline in the 13th South Asian Games slated for Kathmandu, Pokhara and Janakpur from December 1-10.

Shrestha, who took over the chief coach job a couple of months ago, said the team preparation was satisfactory and that the players were in better shape than in previous international tournaments.

“This time we arranged training in Indonesia, Malaysia and China, breaking the tradition of going to South Korea, and the players also got exposure in a couple of international events during the close camp training,” said Shrestha.

Taekwondo had bagged all 14 gold medals in the eighth SAF Games in Kathmandu when the sport was introduced in the regional sporting extravaganza.

But that has become a history and taekwondo — the most successful sport of the country in terms of international medals and participation — returned without a single gold medal from the 12th SAG held in Guwahati and Shillong in 2016.

But chief coach Shrestha said the sport would win the highest number of gold medals for the nation in the 13th edition of the Games. “It’s true that we have not been able to produce the likes of Deepak Bista, Sangina Baidya, Manita Shahi and Ayasha Shakya in recent times, but the current squad has the caliber of matching their achievements,” he said.

“The way these players performed in China and Indonesia earlier this month, I am sure we will claim at least half of the total gold medals in the SA Games,” claimed Shrestha.

Taekwondo offers 29 gold medals — 13 in poomsae and 16 in kyorugi. “Poomsae is new discipline in the SA Games and we have got a couple of talented players in this category,” said Shrestha. “I won’t rate players as the best or average ones but I have faith in them.

The players have improved significantly especially after undergoing training in Indonesia, Malaysia and China.”

Three coaches Kwon Yeong Dal, Sangina Baidya and Deepak Bista are the kyorugi coaches, while Tarjan Subba, Norbu Lama and Hira Bahadur Thapa have been looking after poomsae category players. “We decided to use all coaches as we wanted to lift the lost identity of taekwondo as a team,” said Shrestha.

SQUAD: Poomsae: Individual — Krishna Bahadur Tamang, Sina Maden (17-23yrs), Kamal Shrestha, Parbati Gurung (24-29yrs), Rejin Rimal Ayasha Shakya (above- 30yrs); Pair — Ashmin Raut/Sina Maden (17-23yrs), Jit Bahadur Bot/ Parbati Gurung (24-29yrs), Sanjib Kumar Ojha/Ayasha Shakya (above- THT 30yrs); Team — Ashmin Raut, Shishir Shrestha, Dipendra Gurung (17-23yrs male), Sanjila Timilsina, Nisha Darnal, Swostika Tamang (17-23yrs female); Kamal Shrestha, Jit Bahadur Bot, Pream Bahadur Limbu (24-29yrs male), Nita Gurung, Prashasna Chhetri, Shusila Rai (24-29yrs female). Kyorugi (Male): Manoj Malla (-54kg), Govinda Ale (-58kg), Gyanendra Hamal (-63kg), Bir Bahadur Mahara (-68kg), Kiran Ale (-74kg), Nischal Man Shrestha (-80kg), Bhupen Shrestha (-87kg), Saksham Karki (+97kg); Kyorugi (Female): Kajal Shrestha (-46kg), Yunisha Rai (-49kg), Ashmita Khadka (-53kg), Neema Gurung (-57kg), Sangita Basyal (-62kg), Apsara Karki (-67kg), Manita Shahi (-73kg), Nisha Rawal (+73kg).

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