During the selection tournament for the ninth SAG Binod had faced his own guru Deepak. No wonder, Binod was defeated. “Then, I was not expecting to beat my own guru, but as a player from the police club I could not give a walkover”, Binod recounts.
Recently, Deepak withdrew from active playing career and Binod qualified for the upcoming SAG. Until his retirement, Deepak ruled the roost in 60kg weight category of karate. Deepak became a role model for young karate players after he won gold in the eighth (1999) and ninth (2004) SAG.
However, Deepak became a victim of prejudice in the10th SAG, held in Colombo and could not bag his third gold medal. Deepak is the only Nepali karate player to win two gold medals in the SAG.
Deepak is not competing in the upcoming SAG. However, he is still the karate coach at Nepal Police Club and the most successful players of Nepali karate hail him as the best coach. Nine among 15 karate players selected for the Dhaka SAG are training under Deepak. Binod is one of them.
Binod started learning basics of karate from Deepak in 2000. “I´m happy my “chela” is representing my weight category for our country after my retirement”, said Deepak. Binod is the younger brother of Rabi Maharjan, the gold medalist of 55kg in the eighth SAG.
“I think I´m lucky to have a brother like Rabi for inspiration and a supportive coach like Deepak”, said Binod. He is optimistic about winning gold in Dhaka. However, Binod express his dissatisfaction since Nepal Karate Federation and National Sports Council have still not appointed coach to train selected players.
In the meantime, Deepak also expressed confidence in his ´chela´. “He is a talented player and he is physically strong as an attacking player. I wish him the best,” says Deepak.
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