KATHMANDU, Dec 6: Bhupen Shrestha secured a gold medal on the final day as Nepal extended taekwondo gold to a total of 12 at the 13th South Asian Games.
Shrestha secured gold in men’s kyorugi under 87 kg bout defeating India’s Akshay Hooda in a close contest of 29-27 in final at the Nepal Taekwondo Academy in Satodobate.
Bangladesh’s Rashel Khan and Sri Lanka’s Charma Tharindu won bronze medals.
Queen of Nepali Taekwondo
In men’s under 80 kg, Kiran Bahadur Ale got silver medal after he was comfortably defeated Pakistan’s Rab Nawaz 33-7. India’s Lakshya and Sri Lanka’s Suranga Dihan won bronze medals.
In men’s under 58 kg, Pakistan’s Haroon Khan beat India’s Niraj Choudhary 27-18 to secure gold. Nepal’s Govinda Bahadur Ale won bronze.
In women’s events, Apsara Karki and Manita Shahi won silver medals for Nepal. Karki lost to India’s Ruchika Bhave 8-5 in women’s under 67 kg while Shahi was outclassed by India’s Margerette Maria 15-0 in women’s under 73 kg.
Bhutan’s Sonam Yangtsho and Bangladesh’s Most Salma won the bronze medals in under 67 and Sri Lanka’s Sachitha Pramodini and Bhutan’s Tandin Bidha won bronze medals in under 73 kg weight category.
In women’s under 49 kg, India’s Purva Dattatry Dixit defeated Sri Lankan Irangani Pushpa 14-6 to won gold. Nepal’s Yunisha Rai and Pakistan’s Ayesha Noor won bronze medals.