Maharjan, Gurung steal the show

KATHMANDU, Sept 11: Boxer Deepak Maharjan and footballer Jamuna Gurung won highest accolades in the Pulsar Sports Award on Sunday in the male and female categories respectively.

Maharjan bagged the award for Player of the Year (male) category for his achievement in the 16th Asian Games (Asiad) held in Guangzhou, China last year. He avoided an embarrassing situation for Nepal in the Asian sporting extravaganza as he managed to win the one and only medal for the country in the event. [break]

He broke a 20-year medal drought of Nepali boxing to claim bronze in Guangzhou. Besides his bronze medal in the Asiad, he had also finished third in the Kings Cup Boxing held in Thailand in April 2010. Nepal had achieved bronze in Kings Cup after 32 years.

Maharjan sidelined other strong contenders Rahul BK (cricket) and Rohit Chand (football) to win the annual award, organized by Nepal Sports Journalist Forum (NSJF). BK had claimed 33 wickets in international tournaments last year. Chand, one of the best five players of India´s I-League, was also considered to poise a challenge to Maharjan.

Other nominees in the category were Bilam Lal Shrestha (chess) and Shyam Shrestha (Body Building).

Nepal´s women´s football team skipper Gurung, who had scored 10 goals in the First SAFF Championship held in Bangladesh last year where Nepal finished second, had to compete with her teammate Anu Lama and taekwondo player Manita Shahi for the title.

Lama was the highest scorer of the same tournament, First SAFF Championship, with three consecutive hat-tricks to her name. She was also the first Nepali footballer to achieve such feat in international level.

Shahi, gold medalist of Korean Open International Taekwondo Championship and First Indian Open Taekwondo Tournament, was a tough opponent for Gurung while the other nominees in her category were Aslesha Lisssanevitch (Tennis) and Kanchhimaya Koju (Athletics).

Both the winners received Pulsar bikes, sponsored by Hansraj and Hulaschand Company Pvt Ltd. Shekhar Golcha, executive director of the company, said that Pulsar itself was honored in honoring the heroes of Nepal.

The winners were decided on the basis of their performance, achievement and the magnitude of the event participated in. The nominees, including those of the other categories, received trophies, Timex watches and gift hampers from John Players T-shirt.

Volleyball player Sipora Gurung was voted the Popular Player of the Year. She received 136,272 SMS votes to edge past Deepak Maharjan who had received 128,684. Sagar Thapa, captain of the men´s national football team, finished third with 21926 votes. Other nominees in the category were cricketer Rahuk BK and swimmer Shreya Dhital.

Meanwhile, boxing coach Prachanda Sharma won the Coach of the Year award. He received the award for behind-the-scene efforts that guided Deepak Maharjan to win bronze in the Asiad. Other nominees in his category were Samsung Jung Thapa (cricket), Dhruba KC (football), Jagat Tamata (cricket) and Gyanendra Nakarmi (body building).

SIPORA GURUNG

Likewise, cricketer Nery Thapa of the women´s U-19 team fought off the challenges from her teammate Sarita Magar as well as Prithu Baskota (cricket U-19 men´s team), Phupu Lhamu Khatri (judo) and Anish Shrestha (table tennis) to win the title of the Youth Player of the Year.

Thapa was the Captain of the Nepali team that won the title of ACC U-19 Women´s Championship for the second time in a row. She also top-scored 191 runs during the event, claimed eight wickets and won the title of the best batswomen of the tournament.

NERI THAPA

Bikram Rana of Nepal Army, who lost his eyesight during the Maoist insurgency, received the award for the Para-athlete of the Year. Rana has proved his worth in athletics, clocking 12.85 seconds in 100m sprints, after losing his eyesight.

BIKRAM RANA

The winners, except in the main category (male and female), will receive Rs 30,000 each through Mega Sports Excellency Award.

All the winners received Timex watches and are also entitled to one year free health service from International Society for Medical Education (ISME) Chitwan, six month free DTH service from Dish Media Network, mountain flight ticket from Buddha Air, one year internet service from Cherry World Communication Pvt Ltd, carpets from New Horizon Carpet Industries Pvt Ltd.

LIFETIME AWARD TO RR JOSHI

Nepal Sports Journalists Forum conferred Life Time Achievement Award on veteran table tennis coach Ramesh Raj Joshi aka RR Joshi.

The 65-year-old officially retired from the game four years ago. Joshi, who served as the chief coach of table tennis for last 20 years had a five-decade long relationship with the game and four decades as a coach.

RR JOSHI

Despite his retirement, Joshi every morning visits National Table Tennis Academy Hall, Lainchaur after a round of light exercise to ´take care´ of the game. He remains at the hall until mid-day.

Joshi´s developed a fascination for table tennis since his childhood after his grandfather Daibagya Raj placed a wooden table tennis board at his home under his sports loving father Hareram´s request. Joshi´s house was like an open training center and he clinched the junior championship title in 1960 but could not continue his career as a player for long. Joshi also featured in Asian Gyanafo Championship in 1966.

The turning point in Joshi´s career came after he received a coaching license from Japan in 1971. Soon after completion of training he was appointed as the first table tennis coach of Nepal. The first generation of coach devoted their time for changing the game. They ended the tradition of women players wearing sari during the game.

Under his tenure as coach, Nepal not only saw infrastructural development but also gained historic achievement. Almost all stars of Nepali table tennis are his pupils ranging from Chaturananda Baidhya, Dharmaman Bajracharya, Shankar Gautam, Rajendra Gautam to Sandip Singh Mahat. Joshi opines the combination of discipline, hard work and commitment could lead to development of game.

RAI, ALE BAG SPECIAL AWARD

Football manager Deelip Rai and football coach Bhagirath Ale, who have contributed a lot for the development of football in eastern Nepal, received the Special Award in the Pulsar Sports Award 2067.

Rai, 56, is a renowned football manager.

Ale, 54, started his coaching career 25 years ago and has produced star footballers for the country. Hari Khadka, Sandesh Shrestha and Narottam Gautam are among his pupils.

Both Rai and Ale expressed their delight after receiving the special award. "I devoted my life to football. I´ve decided to donate my eyes after my death," said Rai. "I´m happy to receive this award as NSJF started a tradition of honoring people from mofussil," said Ale.