Organizing a press conference at Pokhara on Monday, Khem Bahadur Gurung, the president of the organizing committee, stated that 12 teams including one team each from Bangladesh, Bhutan and India, host Pokhara and top eight teams of Nepal´s A division football league will feature in the tournament.[break]
"Though the participating teams are yet to be confirmed, we will try to bring the best teams," Gurung said.
The winner and runner up teams will bag a purse of Rs 250,000 and Rs 125,000 respectively. The prize amount will be the highest for any football tournament held in Pokhara so far.
Similarly, the best player, goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, striker and highest scorer will also be awarded with attractive prizes.
"The tournament will not only be a platform for Pokhara´s players but also something that will be helpful in promoting internal as well as external tourism in Pokhara," Gurung said. "Pokhara is considered the football city of the nation and this tournament will be helpful in the development of football and further intensify the game´s craze in the city.
Neric, Mahendra Bhawan clinch titles
Neric Academy and Mahendra Bhawan School clinched the titles of boys´ and girls´ basketball respectively during the 18th Eicher Gyan Carnival on Monday in Kathmandu.
Neric defeated Galaxy 52-30 in the final of the boys´ basketball competition in the carnival, organized by Gyanodaya Bal Batika Higher Secondary School. Sagar Basnet was the top scorer for Neric with 15 points.
Neric took an 8-5 lead in the first quarter. Galaxy gave tough challenge in the second quarter scoring 12 points against eight, scored by Neric. However, Neric bounced back and scored 16-8 and 20-5 in the last two quarters to seal the wide margin victory.
Likewise, Mahendra Bhawan struggled to pull a 30-27 victory over Daffodil in the final of girls´ basketball at the court of Gyanodaya International Residential School, Khokana, Lalitpur. Upama Pokharel scored 17 points for the winning side.
Mahendra Bhawan took home the first quarter with the scores of 9-2. However, Daffodil bounced back and put up a tough challenge with 11-9 and 8-6 leads in the second and third quarter. Mahendra Bhawan maintained its cool and the last quarter ended with 6-6 scores giving Mahendra Bhawan narrow margin victory.
Deepak Khatri of Neric and Ranju Adhikari of Mahendra Bhawan were adjudged most-valuble-players respectively in boys´ and girls´ categories. Nepal Basketball Association Senior Vice President Narendra Thapa and Founder Principal of Gyanodaya Indira Yakthumba gave away the prizes to the winners.
Meanwhile, persistent rain washed out the final match of boys´ volleyball on Monday.
Rain washes out Day II play of Shornima Open
Persistent rain in the capital today washed out the second round of the Shornima Open, the fourth event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2011-12.
Nepal Professional Golfers Association (NPGA) General Secretary Deepak Acharya informed that the second round will be played on Tuesday and the final round will be played on Wednesday.
Nepal No 1 Shiva Ram Shrestha is on the top of the leaderboard after the first round on Sunday. Shrestha had produced a card of three-under 64 at the par-67 Royal Nepal Golf Club and had taken two strokes lead over Rabi Khadka after the first round on Sunday. Khadka carded one-under 66 while Ramesh Nagarkoti is on the third place with a score of even-par.
Lama, Chitrakar felicitated
National Sports Council (NSC) Member Secretary Yubaraj Lama and senior sports journalist Shyam Chitrakar were felicitated by Nepal Loktantrik Khelkud Patrakar Sangh (NLKPS) for their contribution to sports on Monday.
NLKPS President Radhe Shyam Dahal presented Lama and Chitrakar with certificates and shawl during the Sports Night organized at APF headquarters, Halchowk.
Earlier, eight executive committee members of NLKPS, including its vice-president Harihar Parajuli and secretary Bishnu Hari Ghimire, had issued a joint statement claiming that the Sports Night was not an official event of NLKPS.
"The event is conducted to tarnish the image of NLKPS by a few people," the statement read.
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