JAKARTA, Aug 24: Nepal’s badminton team build on their success against Pakistan as they beat Mongolia in men’s doubles and Maldives in women’s singles to reach the Round of 16 in the 18th Asian Games on Thursday. 

The men’s team had defeated Pakistan to write history books for the Nepali badminton in their round of 16 clash. The pair of Bikash Shrestha and Nabin Shrestha has given Nepal yet another taste for success in men’s doubles played at the Badminton Hall in Jakarta Sports Center reaching last eight. 

The Shrestha pair defeated Mongolia’s Sumiya Suren Inkhbat and Temulin Gombodorje on straight sets of 21-12, 21-7. They will now take on Malaysia’s Sem Goha Bhi and Bi Kiyong Tan on Saturday for a place in the last four. 

Likewise, in women’s singles, Nangsal Devi Tamang beat Maldives’ Fatima Nabaha Abdul Razzak on straight sets of 21-19, 21-15 to book her last 16 place. Tamang will play against Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi on Saturday for a last eight berth. Also, in the same category, Jessica Gurung was defeated at the hands of Thailand’s Ratchonak Intanon on straight sets of 21-7, 21-4 ending her journey at the first round. 

Meanwhile, Nepal’s did not have same success in mixed doubles category. The two pairs representing Nepal were knocked out of the last 32 round after losing their respective first games. 

The Tamang pair of Nangsal and Ratnajit lost to the host Indonesia’s Ricky Karandasuwadi and Debi Susanto 21-13, 21-7, while the pair of Deepesh Dhami and Jessica Gurung was defeated by Hong Kong’s Chun Hei Rejinald Lee and Wah Chau Hoi 21-11, 21-11. 

Likewise, in the last 32 of men’s doubles, the pair of Tamang and Dhami lost to Pakistan’s Rizwan Azam and Sulehari Kashif Ali 19-21, 20-22 in a close-fought match whereas in women’s doubles, the pair of Tamang and Gurung was defeated by Thailand’s Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rabinda Porjangjoi 21-7, 21-5.

Swimming
Nepali swimmer Sirish Gurung has ended his 18th Asian Games journey on Thursday failing to match his previous national record. 

In 100 meter men’s freestyle, Gurung finished in the bottom of hit two with a timing of 57.92 seconds. Oman’s Isha Samir Hamed Al Adawi finished in the top spot in hit with a timing of 53.06 seconds, 4.86 seconds faster than Gurung. 

Likewise, Nepal could not do much in women’s 50 meter breast stroke as well. Nepal’s Tisha Shakya finished third among six participants in hit one with timing of 39.85 seconds. Her only achievement was to finish ahead of a Laos and two Maldives players in her hit. 

She was behind the topper Indonesias’s Anak Agung Stri Kaniya Ratih by 4.31 seconds. 

Taekwondo
Nepal’s only win in Taekwondo came when Gyanendra Hamal defeated Bhutan’s Wangchuk Jigme in the last 32 of the men’s 68 kg weight category on Thursday.

Hamal then lost to Malaysia’s Rojaimi Rojjali in last 16 by a one-sided result of 30-2. 

Similarly, Ashmita Khadka was defeated by Iran’s Nahid Kiyanichande 43-4 in women’s 49 kg weight category. 

Weightlifting
In snatch of men’s 77 kg weight category, Bikash Thapa finished fifth among nine players lifting 113 kg in snatch, 135 kg in clean and jerk and a total of 248 kg. 

At the Weightlifting Hall in JI Expo, he lifted 113 kg in snatch in the first try, but failed to lift it in the second and the third. He failed to carry 118 kg in snatch in the second try, and also in the third. Likewise, he failed to lift 135 kg in clean and jerk in the first try, but lifted it in the second. And again he failed to lift 137 kg in the third try. 

Kamal Bhadur Adhikari, who improved his record on Wednesday, has the national record to his name lifting 122 kg in snatch, 162 in clean and jerk and 284 in total. 
Nepal’s Bikash Thapa lifts a weight during the weightlifting competition at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia on Thursday. | Ajay Phuyal/Republica

Kabaddi
Nepal’s participation has been limited to just a win in Kabaddi at the 18th Asian Games.

At the Kabaddi Stadium in Jakarta’s Theater Garuda, Nepal lost to Pakistan in its last game 38-20 on Thursday. Nepal is set to return home losing all its Group B matches except Malaysia.

Nepal had started its losing campaign in the first game with 29-33 against the host Indonesia on Friday, and lost to Japan 28-31 in the second match on Monday. Nepal, who had lost to Iran 21-75 in the third match on Wednesday, had won its first game 21-17 in the fourth match.

Nepal and Malaysia have been knocked out of the group, while Pakistan and Iran have entered into the semifinals. India and Korea have advanced to the last four from the other group. 

Squash
Nepal’s journey in squash has ended in the first round with the losses to Arhant Keshar Singh and Amrit Thapa Magar. 

At the GBK Squash Stadium on Thursday, Singh lost to Pakistan’s Tayab Aslam on straight sets of 3-0 (11-6, 11-5, 11-5) in the last 32 match. He was knocked out of the tournament and lasted only 18 minutes inside the court.

In the other match played on the same day, Magar faired poorer as he lasted inside the court for just 16 minutes and lost the game 11-1, 11-4, 11-2 to Hong Kong’s Yin Li Ho in the same round.

Archery 
Nepal’s journey in the singles categories of archery met similar fate in Asian Games ending on Thursday. With the losses of Gyanu Awale in women’s category, and Tilak Pun Magar and Roshan Nagarkoti in men’s category, Nepal now will only play in Saturday’s mixed team event and Saturday’s men’s team event.

At the GBK Archery Field in Jakarta, Magar had started brightly by defeating Bhutan’s Wangdi Nima 6-0 in last 32 of men’s singles recurve, but he then lost to China’s Tiyanayu Ju 6-4 in the last 16 round. 

In the other match of the men’s singles, Nagarkoti was knocked out from the first round as he was defeated by Sri Lanka’s Mahamadachhi Sajiv De Silva 6-0. 

Also, in women’s singles, Awale lost to Hong Kong’s Suk Ching Ada Lam 6-2 in the first round. 

Nepal will now play in the mixed team event against Kyrgyzstan in which Awale and Magar will play, while it will compete against Qatar in men’s event. 

Pencak Silat 
Nepal has ended its first ever participation in Marshal Arts category of pencak silat on the very first day on Thursday. 

The lone participant of the game from Nepal, Bibek Kumar BK, lost to Iran’s Mohammad Rahimiwallah Dejai 5-0 in the 60-65 kg weight category of the round of 16. 

Sports climbing 
Nepal’s first ever participation in the competition was played in Palembang where two Nepali players Pemba Sherpa and Pranil Man Shrestha finished on bottom of the 23-player standings in the speed category of the qualification round.

Sherpa finished in the 26th place with a timing of 12 seconds, while Shrestha finished at the very bottom with a timing of 12.26 seconds. 

The top 16 players from the category were selected for the final round, and the worst performance from the selected ones was a timing of 7.53 seconds.

 
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