KATHMANDU: Rajendra Kapali and Elina Maharjan lifted the titles of National Open Table Tennis Championship here on Saturday. In the men’s section final, Kapali defeated Nepal No 1 and national champion Deep Saun 11-9, 11-3, 11-9, 13-11, while Maharjan defeated her sister Erika 15-13, 11-6, 12-10, 10-12, 11-7 in women’s singles final. Kapur Sharma and Udaya Mohan Shrestha won the veteran section titles. A total of 155 players participated in 13 events in the five-day tournament organised by Kathmandu District Table Tennis Association to raise funds for the earthquake affected national players. NOC General Secretary Jeevan Ram Shrestha and President of All Nepal Table Tennis Association Chatura Nanda Rajbaidhya handed over the prizes to the winners.

Friendly Futsal

KATHMANDU: The team of former national team members defeated Nepal Sports Journalists Forum (NSJF) 7-6 in a friendly match organised to mark the inauguration of Sanakhusi Futsal here on Saturday. Ananta Thapa scored a hat-trick for the winning team, while Hari Khadka and Sandesh Shrestha scored two each. Subas Humagain scored a hat-trick for NSJF, while Prajeet Shakya, Anil Thakuri and Him Bikram KC scored a goal each.

Buddha Air triumph

KATHMANDU: Buddha Air lifted the title of the Chesung Wine Corporate Futsal defeating Investment Bank 5-4 here on Saturday. Bikash Raymajhi scored a hat-trick, while Bharat Kumar Budhathoki and Siddhartha Bahadur Singh scored a goal apiece for the winning side. Narendra Roka scored a brace, while Narayan Bikram Pandey and Samir Raj Bhandari netted one each for Investment Bank. Civil Bank thrashed Sunrise Bank 5-0 in third-place play-off match. A total of 17 corporate houses participated in the one-day day tournament.

Samoa, Fiji draw

SACRAMENTO: Samoa flyhalf Patrick Fa’apale kicked a tying penalty in the final minute to complete a rally from a 17-point deficit to force a 30-30 draw against Fiji in the Pacific Nations Cup on Saturday. Fiji led 27-10 after 51 minutes before Samoa comeback, tying up the match with tries to prop Anthony Perenise, Paul Perez and TJ Ioane.