KATHAMNDU, June 21:Ratnajeet Tamang of Tribhuvan Army Club and Bikash Shrestha of Bhojpur secured final berths in men's singles event of the Fifth Pushpa Lal Memorial Ranking National Badminton Championship in Tripureshwar, Kathmandu on Monday.
In the semifinals played at the at the National Sports Council covered hall, top-ranked Ratnajeet recorded a comfortable win of 21-9, 21-4 over Bishnu Katuwal of Nepal Police Club while Bikash edged past Dipesh Dhami of Army 21-17, 21-16.
Ratnajeet, Dipesh into semifinal
Similarly, Army player Nangsal Devi Tamang, elder sister of Ratnajeet, registered a three sets win over Amit Giri of her own club to make it to the final. Nangsal won the first and last sets 21-8, 21-14 after going down 18-21 in the second. Nangsal, who has ruled the domestic court since more than three years will, meet her club-mate Anumaya Rai in the final as the latter recorded 14-21, 21-18 win over Jessica Gurung in another all-army semifinal.
Chiran Bista and Sunil Joshi will meet in the U-17 boys' singles final. Chiran edged past Rukesh Maharjan of Army 21-19, 24-22 and Sunil overcame Praful Maharjan, also of Army, 21-15, 14-21, 21-19 in the semifinals.
The same age group fixture of girls' section saw Megha Chand and Jessica secure the final berth. Jessica edged past Rassila Maharjan of her own club 21-16, 21-14 and Mega beat Ranjana Bhatt of Kanchanpur 21-12, 17-21, 21-12.
Meanwhile, the men's doubles will be an all-army final after the pairs of Ratnajeet Tamang and Nabin Shrestha, and Dipesh Dhami and Suroj Maharjan entered into the final. The pair of Ratnajeet beat Bikash, the singles finalist, and Ram Rai's pair 21-14, 21-11. Similarly, the pair of Dipesh eased past Armed Police Force's (APF's) pair of Sudip Sedhai and Beejet Thapa 21-18, 21-15.
In the women's doubles semifinals, Nangsal and Amita's pair of Army beat Shova Gauchan and Sita Rai's pair of APF 21-12, 21-10 in the semifinal. The duo will meet Puja Shrestha and Bina Tulachan's pair of APF in the final who overcame pair of Durga Bhandari (Kailali) and Suja Rai Lalitpur 21-14, 21-11.
