Barnawal wins Dharmashree crown

Kathmandu, September 30

Arjun Barnawal won the title of the 14th Dharmashree Nationwide Bodybuilding Championship here at the Nepal Academy Hall today.

Barnawal, who bagged the Mr Bullsmen title earlier this month in Pokhara, defeated six others who won their respective weight categories. The Nepal Byayam Mandir bodybuilder, who also won the above-80kg section title, received the title along with Rs 500,000 pay cheque.

Maheshwor Maharjan of Shapes Fitness came second and earned Rs 200,000. Maharjan, who won the 80kg weight category title, had bagged the gold medal in the Asian Championship in Bhutan earlier this month. Umesh Rai of Jhapa’s Greenwich Fitness finished third overall and won the 75kg section title. He pocketed Rs 100,000.

Likewise, Barnawal’s teammates Ramhari Khanal (70kg), Ram Bahadur Dahal (65kg) and Sanjeev Kumar Shrestha (60kg) claimed fourth, fifth and sixth positions respectively in overall section, while Kamal Bhandari (55kg) of Pokhara was seventh. They received Rs 80,000, Rs 75,000, Rs 60,000 and Rs 50,000 respectively.

The winners of the seven weight categories qualified for the Dharmashree title round.

Earlier, Barnawal finished first ahead of Prakash Rai of Planet Fitness and Girish Maharjan of Nepal Byayam Mandir in the above-80kg section, while Tul Bahadur Shrestha of Brother and Sister and Naresh Malakar of New Flex were second and third behind Maheshwor Maharjan in the 80kg weight category.

Likewise, Nabin Rana of Nepal Gym and Pravesh Shrestha of Shape to Fitness finished second and third behind Umesh Rai in the 75kg section, whereas Rajesh Magar of Shape Fitness and Kiran Yadav of Shape To Fitness were second and third behind Ramhari Khanal in the 70kg.

Also, Ram Bahadur Dahal of Byayam Mandir defeated Anil Lal Shrestha of Complete Health and Bikash Dhimal of Yaro Fitness in the 65kg section, while Aashish Devaju of Byayam Mandir and Ramesh Karki of New Flex were second and third behind Sanjeev Kumar Shrestha in 60kg.

Likewise, Suresh Gurung of Bulls Gym and Sabin Maharjan of Kalimati Friendship came second and third behind Kamal Bhandari in the 55kg weight category. The second and third placed bodybuilders received Rs 25,000 and Rs 15,000 respectively.

Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun and Vice-president of Nepal Olympic Committee Purendra Bikram Lakhe handed over the prizes to the winners of the championship organised by Nepal Byayam Mandir under the sponsorship of Teletalk Pvt Ltd, the authorised distributor of Gionee mobiles in Nepal.