KATHMANDU, April 8: Paragliding, an adventure sport, has been included in the 8th National Games for the first time in Nepal. The national sporting event is set to start from April 18 in Province 5.

The paragliding competition will be held in Pokhara, one of the major tourist hubs of the country, from April 19 as Province 5 doesn't have the required infrastructure for the game.  

Here's why paragliding became part of the 8th National Games according to Rohit Dahal, Press Advisor of National Sports Council:  

Nepal won its very first silver medal in the 18th Asia Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, 2018

Nepal won its very first silver medal in the 18th Asia Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. A team of Bijay Gautam, Bimal Adhikari, Sushil Gurung, Yukesh Gurung, and Bimal Thapa won the silver medal for Nepal in the Men's Cross Country Paragliding, while Japan won the gold. Nepal scored 11,364 points to win the silver. Japan had 11,391 points. 

This is the second silver medal Nepal has won after 1998. In 1998, Sabita Raj Bhandari had won a silver medal in Taekwondo. 

Paragliding is promoting tourism

From Pokhara to Udayapur to Chautara to Rampur, paragliding is helping to promote tourism by providing a bird's eye view and thrilling experience of Nepal's landscape. The sports and the landscape invite both domestic and foreign tourists. 

Youth interest in paragliding

Youth are keen to experience paragliding as they found it as a thrilling adventure. National and international competitions have also encouraged people to enhance paragliding at different levels.  

 
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