NOC announces plans‚ programmes for 2012

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

LALITPUR: Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) today outlined details on Nepal’s participation in the London Olympics and Haiyang Asian Beach Games — two major international events the country will compete this year.

“We will take part in three events — basketball, volleyball and sports climbing — at the third Asian Beach Games scheduled for June 16-22 in Haiyang, China,” informed the NOC President Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan. According to Pradhan, 17 players — four each in men’s and women’s basketball, four men and two women in volleyball, and three men in sports climbing — will represent Nepal in the Asian Beach Games.

Likewise, Pradhan said three players are confirmed to take part in the London Olympic Games while the procedure of seeking wild cards for other 11 players has already been completed. The confirmed players for the July 27-August 12 London Games include athletes Tilak Ram Tharu and Pramila Rijal and swimmer Shreya Dhital.

NOC has sought wild card entries for boxers Sanju Lama, Saraswoti Rana and Purna Bahadur Lama, taekwondo players Ayasha Shakya and Rohit Tamang, shooters Sneha Rajya Laxmi Rana and Ashmita Rai, judokas Deepak Krishna Shrestha and Phupu Lhamu Khatri, and cyclists Ajay Pandit and Nirjala Tamrakar. NOC will be informed of the wild cards during the second week of June, informed the NOC General Secretary Jeevan Ram Shrestha.

Meanwhile, NOC revealed one of the two swimmers, either Shailesh Rana or Prasiddha Jung Shah, will compete in the Federation Cup slated for June 1-3 in Hyderabad.

Pradhan said that NOC has been trying to arrange the London Games participating players with foreign training. “Accordingly, the foreign training for three players will commence by the third week of June and the players will fly to London straight from their foreign training base,” informed Pradhan without mentioning the country in which the players would train.

Before the foreign training, NOC said, Dhital will undergo special course in Nepal from New Zealander Club Trealgold while athletes have already started training under local coaches Nar Bahadur Shahi and Tika Sehdain. Pradhan said NOC need about £25,000 to arrange trainings for the players and they have been seeking financial support from the IOC.