KATHMANDU, July 28: Agility Health and Wellness Corporation of China has sponsored the Nepali team, who are taking part in the 18th Asian Games to be held in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia from August 18-September 2. 

Alfred Chan, the Nepal branch chairman of the corporation handed over the sportswears to the President of the Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) Jeevan Ram Shrestha amid a function in the capital on Friday. On the occasion, Chan wished the Nepali players success at the Asian Games.

Shrestha also thanked the corporation for the sponsorship and expressed his confidence that the sponsorship will lift the confidence of the players. “We want to thank the Agility Health and Wellness for the sponsorship. Players representing our country in different games in Indonesia will wear your dresses and perform in the Asian Games,’’ said Shrestha.

A total of 48 Asian teams will take part in the tournament, held every four year, which features 40 games and 450 different categories. 

A total of 185 players will feature in 29 out of 40 games. It was earlier said that Nepal will take part in 28 games, but on Friday, squash was added too. A total of 127 men and 60 women players will represent Nepal in the tournament. 

The participants are currently training in different parts of the country as well as abroad. According to the National Sports Council (NSC), archery, shooting, athletics, sepaktakrow, climbing, karate, golf, basketball and swimming are being trained in Kathmandu, while cycling, football, badminton, triathlon, lawn tennis are being practiced Lalitpur. Likewise, paragliding and kabaddi are being practiced in Pokhara, while volleyball is being trained in Bhimduttanagar. The NSC also said that wrestling is being practiced in Nepalgunj. 

Judoka Phupu Lhamu Khatri, in late April, left for Japan, where she will attend the Olympic Solidarity Cup in preparation for the Asian Games. The 27-month practice will basically help her prepare for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 

In pencaksilat, Bibek Kumar BK is selected to feature in 60 to 65 kg category whereas NerishThapa will represent Nepal in skateboard. Nepal is taking part in these two games for the first time.

The players of taekwondo left for South Korea in early May for a training course. A total of 10 players including five men and five women are taking part in the event. The men participants are Sagar Gubhaju, Bir Bahadur Mahara, Gyanendra Hamal, Bhupen Shrestha and Anuj Puri, while Ashmita Khadka, Nima Gurung, Gyani Pujara, Sangeeta Batsyal and Nisha Rawal are the women participants. They will be trained by Sangeena Baidhya. 

Likewise, the Nepali boxers left for Thailand for a training course in late June, where they also participated in the Thailand Open International Boxing Championships from June 28 to July 6 held in Bangkok. 

The men participants of boxing in the Asian Games are Tej Bahadur Deuba (49 kg), Prem Chaudhary (52 kg), Bimal Roka (56 kg), Ek Bahadur Ghale (60 kg), BhupendraThapa (64 kg), BishnuGhale (69 kg) and Dipak Shrestha (75 kg), while the women boxers are Bimala Shrestha (51 kg), SangitaSunar (57 kg) and PunamRawal (60 kg). 

The Karate team is said to be leaving for Japan in some days for a training course. The team consists of Anu Adhikari (50 kg), Sunita Maharjan (61 kg), Rita Karki (+68 kg), Sonam Lama (60 kg), Diwas Shrestha (84 kg) along with Chanchala Danuwar and Parshuram Bastola in single category. 

Also, the men’s football team will leave for Thailand later this week where they will also play against the home team.

A seven-member table tennis team including five players left for India two days ago for a month-long training course in New Delhi. The team consists of Deep Saun, Santoo Shrestha, Amar Lal Malla in the men’s category; and Nabita Shrestha, Suvekshya Nemwang, Rabina Maharjan in the women’s category. Saun will leave for New Delhi on July 29. 

Nepal managed to win a silver medal each in China’s 2010 edition and South Korea’s 2014 edition. Boxing’s Deepak Maharjan won the silver medal in Beijing, while karate’s BimalaTamang won the medal in Incheon saving Nepal from returning home without a single medal. 

 
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