Lalitpur, August 13

Roshan Bahadur Dong of Prisoner Assistance Nepal and Tribhuvan Army Club’s Manita Shrestha Pradhan were named the best players of the eighth Ambika Bahadur Chhetri Memorial Open Judo Tournament here today.

Dong won gold medal in the men’s below-55kg weight category, while Pradhan bagged gold in the women’s below-57kg. Pradhan also received the award of best ippon in the women’s category, while Nepal Police Club’s Shree Ram Makaju got the award in men’s section. Makaju won gold in below-90kg event defeating Dil Bahadur Magar of TAC.

TAC won the team championship with a total of six gold, four silver and six bronze medals, while NPC came second with six gold, two silver and four bronze medals.

On Sunday, NPC won three more gold medals in men’s category. Umesh Magar beat Kiran Gadel of Central Judo Dojo in the below-60kg, Sanjit Dangol defeated Junga Bahadur Saru of TAC in below-73kg and Rajan Joshi was the lone participant in the above-100kg.

In women’s category, Soniya Bhatta of Banke won the below-44kg gold beating Pushpa Bhandari of Hopad Nepal, NPC’s Dil Kumari Chhantyal saw off Rojina Thapa Magar of Central Judo in below-52kg, Phupu Lhamu Khatri of TAC beat Purna Rai of NPC in below-63kg and TAC’s Punam Shrestha was the only player in the below-78kg. The winners and the runners-up of all the weight categories except for men’s below-55kg and women’s below-44kg were selected for the national team. A total of 140 players from 23 teams competed in the two-day competition organised by Nepal Judo Association.