KATHMANDU, Sept 3: A 19-member Nepali judo team, including 12 players, is leaving for Kerala, India on Saturday to take part in the 10th Asian Cadet and 17th Asian Junior Judo Championship to be held from September 4 to11.
Among the 12 judokas Laxman GC, Roshan Bahadur Dong and Sanjog Bhatta will vie in the boys' 50 kg, 55 kg and 60 kg in the cadet event respectively. In the girls' section, Sharada Kumari Khatri and Manita Shrestha Pradhan will participate in the 48 kg and 52 kg events.
Similarly in the junior boys' event, Kiran Gadel, Suresh Dong and Ram Bhakta Tamang will compete in 55 kg, 60 kg and 66 kg respectively. Olympian Phupu Lhamu Khatri will vie in the 63 kg of junior girls' event while Punam Shrestha and Manisha Maharjan Putuwar will compete in 70 kg and 52 kg of the same section.
Ramesh Magar and Devika Khadka are travelling with the team as coaches while Dharma Ratna Pachchai and Gayatri Basnet are team managers.
Likewise, judo head coach Birendra Ranjit is also flying to India with the team to take part in the IJF International Referee Seminar and Examinations where as Prithivi Alok and Mohan Sunuwar are travelling as well to participate in the Continental Referee Examinations.
Similarly, Nepal Judo Association's President Deepak Harsha Bajracharya, who is also a JUA Coaching Director, is flying to Kerala on September 5 to conduct the tournament.
Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC)'s President Jeevan Ram Shrestha bade farewell to the team at the NOC's head office on Friday.
Historic win for Nepal in Asian Judo Championships
