Army dominates Eighth National Games

NEPALGUNJ, April 18: The departmental team Tribhuvan Army Club’s Manju BK and Province 4’s Rupak Nepali have won gold medals in the open weight categories in the National Full Contact Karate Tournament under the ongoing Eighth National Games in Nepalgunj on Wednesday.

In the women’s category final at the Mahendra Campus, BK defeated Province 1’s Sujata Rai, while Nepali got a walkover from Province 1’s Binod Niraula got injured in his previous game.

In men’s 64 kg category, Province 4’s Gobinda Roka beat Province 5’s Prakash Khadka to win the gold, and Province 3’s Santosh Kumar Lama saw off Province 2’s Bishwa Lama to claim the gold in men’s 60 kg.

Also, in men’s 55 kg, Army’s Chop Bahadur Budathoki defeated Province 4’s Jeevan Gurung, Province 5’s Roman Sinjali overcame Sanjay Rai of other departmental team Armed Police Force (APF) Club in men’s 50 kg, Army’s Dharmendra Rai got past Province 2’s Bishal Kushwar in men’s 45 kg to win the gold medals.

Likewise, in women’s 55 kg, Army’s Anupama Nepali overcame Province 4’s Prizma Kunwar to bag the gold, while Province 4’s Yuni Sherchan saw off Army’s Shanti Thapa Magar to win the gold.

APF’s Deepa Shahi won the gold beating Province 4’s Sargam Kumal.

Kabaddi

Army won both the categories in the National Kabaddi Tournament. Army had claimed the gold in both the categories in its last edition as well.

In the men’s final played at the Bansgadhi Kabaddi Academy in Bardiya, Army beat Province 5 42-21 to claim the gold, while Army saw off the other departmental team Nepal Police Club 36-21 in the women’s category.

Basketball

Army has won the gold in the men’s category of the National Basketball Tournament, while Police claimed the women’s category.

In the men’s final at Ghorahi, Dang, Army overcame Province 3 76-58 in which Ram Krishna Ghatane scored the highest 23.

Police finished third after defeating Province 4 74-54 in which Bikash Gurung registered 14 scores.

Likewise, in the women’s final, Police got past Province 3 45-29 as Police’s Anusha Malla scored 13.

Army stood third as it beat Sudurpaschim Province 51-39 with Grishma Silwal scoring the highest 11 for the third-placed team.

Golf

Tanka Bahadur Karki and Pratibha Rai have won the gold medals in the individual categories in the National Golf Tournament.

At the Gokarna Golf Club, Shukra Bahadur Rai finished second, while Niraj Tamang became third in men’s category. Likewise, Kashmira Shah and Tara Karki finished second and third in women’s category.

Chess

Police’s Purshottam Chaulagain has won the gold in the National Chess Tournament. Police’s Manish Hamal and Army’s Sachin Maharjan finished second and third respectively.

Chaulagain won the tournament on head to head rule as all the three players got seven points each. Hamal had drawn with both Chaulagain and Maharjan, while Maharjan lost to Chaulagain.

In the tournament played at Thakurdwara, Bardiya, Army’s Sindira Joshi and Province 1’s Kripa Adhikari finished second and third respectively, since Army’s Sujana Lohani had won the gold on Tuesday.

Joshi got seven points to stand second, while Adhikari made 6.5 points.

Sujana got better of her gold win as she got 100 percent result on Wednesday registering nine points as she beat Gandaki Province’s Puja Bhandari.

Badminton

At Ghorahi Covered Hall, Army’s Ratnajit Tamang, APF’s Dipesh Dhami and Sudurpaschim’s Prince Dahal have advanced into the men’s singles quarterfinals of the ongoing 40th National Badminton Tournament.

Tamang beat APF’s Gautam Kathayat 21-7, 21-9, while Dhami saw off Sudurpaschim’s Devraj Sharma 21-13, 21-12 and Dahal defeated Police’s Bishnu Katuwal 21-13, 21-10, 21-10.

Likewise, Army’s Nabin Shrestha and Praphul Maharjan also reached the last eight beating APF’s Bijit Thapa Magar 22-20, 21-8 and APF’s Sajan Krishna Tamrakar 13-21, 21-18, 21-12 respectively.

Also, Police’s Jeevan Acharya and Deepak Bohora overcame Army’s Bishal Khadka 21-10, 21-14 and Rukesh Maharjan 14-21, 21-17, 21-15 respectively.

In women’s singles, four Army players advanced into the quarterfinals. Nangsal Devi Tamang defeated Province 5’s Samjhana Sharma 21-6, 21-12, Rasila Maharjan beat Army’s Loktama Rai 21-6, 21-7, Ranjana Bhatta saw off APF’s Sunaina Mukhiya 21-17, 21-11, and Anu Maya Rai overcame Sudurpaschim’s Prasunna Khatri 21-3, 21-9.

Two APF players Jessica Gurung and Shobha Gauchan, along with Province 1’s Sita Rai and Sima Rajbanshi made it to the last eight as well.

Gurung defeated Karnali Province’s Agrima Bhandari 21-2, 21-13, while Gauchan saw off Province 1’s Nita Lamsal 21-19, 21-5, Province 1’s Rai beat Province 3’s Safi Khatri 21-8, 21-13 and Rajbanshi got past Gandaki’s Punam Gurung 21-18, 21-15.

Volleyball

Army has registered victories in men’s and women’s categories in volleyball.

In men’s category at the Volleyball Academy in Khajura, Army defeated Province 2, while it saw off Karnali in the women’s category.

In men’s category Group A match, Army beat Province 2 25-15, 25-9, 25-9. In the other match of the group, Gandaki overcame Province 3 30-28, 25-16, 25-18.

In Group B, APF got past Province 1 25-15, 27-25, 25-15, while Police defeated Province 5 25-17, 25-21, 25-17.

Likewise, in women’s Group B, Army beat Karnali 25-5, 25-9, 25-10, while Gandaki overcame Province 2 25-6, 25-7, 25-9.

In Group A, Police defeated Province 1 25-13, 25-11, 25-11, while Province 5 saw off Sudurpaschim 25-23, 25-11, 25-29.

Hockey

Army has won the men’s hockey as it defeated debutant Police 4-1 in Nepalgunj.

At the Mangal Prasad School, Narendra Adhikari, Pradeep Rajbanshi, Amit Kumar Shreevastav and Dipendra Airee scored the goals for Army, while Keshav Raj Joshi replied one back for Police.

The regulation time ended 1-1 with Rajbanshi scored in the 11th minute, while Roman Rana had equalized for Police in the 45th.