Nepal lifted the title of the ACC Women´s U-19 Elite Cup and the women footballers returned home with flying colors from the 11th South Asian Games (SAG) held in early 2010, and the First SAFF Women´s Championship which concluded recently. They claimed the silver medals in both the tournaments.
Women´s football was included for the first time in both the tournaments, according to ANFA Technical Director Sanjib Mishra. Mishra, who was also the team´s manager, said Nepal´s performance was better in the second tournament.
Nepal´s national cricket team won the ICC World Cricket League Division 5 to secure their position in Division 4 in February. Nepal had defeated the US in a crucial Division 5 match on the home ground. However, Nepal failed to progress to Division 3, losing an unexpected match to Tanzania during the ICC World Cricket League Division 4, which the then coach Roy Luke Dias termed as his most regrettable match during his entire nine-year term in Nepal. Nepal´s national cricket team, nevertheless, maintained the status quo but the Sri Lankan coach left for his home at the end of the year. Nepali cricketers also made it to the final of the ACC U-16 Elite Cup.
Taekwondo player Manita Shahi won gold in the Korea Open Taekwondo Championship while Ayasha Shakya and Yan Kumari Chaulagain bagged the silver medal each.
The most memorable moment of all was that taekwondo ace Deepak Bista set a record in the South Asian Games (SAG) winning his fourth gold medal in his fourth consecutive appearance.
Nepal bagged 8 gold, 9 silver and 20 bronze medals in the 11th SAG but only managed to win one bronze in the Asiad - boxer Deepak Maharjan grabbing the face-saver.
Other players to bag gold in the SAG were Rajendra Bhandari (athletics), Ayasha Shakya (taekwondo), Ganga Adhikari (karate), Binod Shakya (karate), Sunil Lama (karate), Ang Babu Lama (wushu), and Binita Maharjan (wushu).
Boxer Maharjan said the year 2010 was good for him as he met his targets. Earlier, he was saddened to learn that the organizers of the SAG had excluded his weight category but he made up for the missed opportunity by winning bronze in the King´s Cup in Thailand and later in the Asiad in Guangzhou.
Taekwondo player Shahi of Nepal Police Club said she was really disheartened not to win in the Asiad although she won medals in other international tournaments. She is back at training and is hopeful of making a good start in the 6th National Games which is just around the corner.
SAG gold medalist Ayasha Shakya said the year was a mixed bag for her. “The year ended on a sad note as we lost in the Asiad. But the victory in SAG will always be an inspiration for me. It was my first gold medal at the international level and will remain memorable throughout my life,” said Shakya.
She too is gearing up for the National Games. She said if she fares well, it would open opportunities for participation in international tournaments. The National Games are scheduled for two and half months later in Dhangadi.
National women´s team skipper Jamuna Gurung, who plays for the Armed Police Force, is ending the year on a high note, enjoying the break after a rigorous tournament and celebrating Tamu Lhosar - the New Year of the Gurungs which, according to the lunar calendar, falls around the same time as the western New Year.
The year was also marked by disputes between the officials of the National Sports Council and the Nepal Olympic Committee over petty issues. As the players tried to do the best to their abilities to perform well in the international level, the ill management and controversies created by sports officials were said to be one of the major setbacks for Nepal´s success.
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