Bista named Youth PoY, Maharjan claims best coach’s trophy; TT star shrestha wins People’s Choice Award Kathmandu, July 21 Footballer Nawayug Shrestha and judoka Phupu Lhamu Khatri won Player of the Year awards, while national football team was named the Team of the Year at the Pulsar Sports Award 2072 here at the Nepal Academy Hall today. The Bangabandhu Gold Cup and 12th SA Games hero Shrestha defeated fellow national football team goalkeeper Bikesh Kuthu, lifter Bikash Thapa, wushu player Rajesh Chaudhary and taekwondo player Bir Bahadur Mahara in the men’s section.  Shrestha came to limelight when he scored four goals including a hat-trick in Nepal’s victorious run in the Bangabandhu Gold Cup and also bagged the best player’s award. He also struck two hat-tricks and the winning goal against India in the final of the 12th SA Games. Lifter Thapa bagged SAG silver medal in the SAG with a total lift of 242kg that included a new national record of 112kg in snatch breaking the 14-year-old mark of Roshan Nakarmi (110kg). Chaudhary and Mahara won silver medals in SAG, while Kuthu was the key member of the Nepali team that won Bangabandhu Gold Cup and SAG gold medal. Managing Director of Hansraj Hulaschand and Company Pvt Ltd Shekhar Golchha and AIPS-Asia President Mohammad Qasim handed over the trophies to the winners and nominees. Judoka Khatri won the women’s section award ahead of wushuka Nima Gharti Magar, swimmer Gaurika Singh, triathlon athlete Roja KC and taekwondo player Rejina Karki. Khatri became the first Nepali women judoka to win SA Games gold medal and bagged four more in other international events. She is also selected for the Rio Olympic Games. Gharti Magar won gold medal in SAG in her first international participation, while swimming sensation Singh created history in Guwahati when she won one silver and three bronze medals becoming the first Nepali swimmer to win individual medal. Likewise, triathlon athlete KC won silver in individual category and added mixed relay bronze in SAG, while taekwondo player Karki bagged silver in her first SAG participation. National Sports Council Member Secretary Keshab Kumar Bista and senior Indian journalist Sandeep Nakai handed over the trophies. The members of the football teams that won gold medals in the Bangabandhu Gold Cup in Dhaka and 12th South Asian Games in India was named the Team of the Year. Also, Table tennis player Nabita Shrestha bagged the People’s Choice Award as she garnered the highest votes. Cricketer Lamichhane, spiker Pratibha Mali, lifter Tara Devi Pun and footballer Nawayug Shrestha were also nominated in the category which was decided by the SMS votes and Facebook Likes. Out of the total SMS votes of 286,521 and 11,600 Facebook Likes, Shrestha secured 150,511 votes, while spiker Mali was a distant second at 116,956. Editor of The Himalayan Times Prakash Rimal and Chairman of Avenues TV Bhaskar Raj Rajkarnikar gave away the trophies to the winner and nominees. Footballer Anjan Bista claimed the youth Player of the Year award. Swimmer Singh, wushuka Gharti Magar, cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane and judoka Manita Shrestha Pradhan were the other nominees in the category. Bista, member of the Bangabandhu Gold Cup, 12th SA Games and SAFF U-19 Tournament winning teams, edged past the likes of swimmer Singh — who won a silver and three bronze medals in SA Games — and the 12th SAG gold medallist Gharti Magar. Other two nominees in the category, Lamichhane had bagged a hat-trick in ICC U-19 World Cup and judoka Pradhan was the silver medallist in 12th SA Games. Likewise, football coach Bal Gopal Maharjan was named the best coach of the year ahead of Raju Kaji Shakya (football), Dal Bahadur Gurung (judo), Jagat Tamatta (cricket) and Prakash Maharjan (wushu). Bal Gopal Maharjan led the national football team to the Bangabandhu Gold Cup title and SAFF U-19 Tournament, while Tamatta guided the youth team to the knock out stage of the ICC U-19 World Cup for the first time apart from winning the U-19 Global Qualifiers and finishing runners-up in U-19 Elite with senior team. Wushu coach Prakash guided all of his seven Taolu players to podium in SAG, while women’s judo coach Gurung earned six out of nine medals bagged by Nepal in the regional meet. Shakya became the first player and coach to win SA Games gold medals when Nepal won the title in Guwahati after 23 years. Surya Nepal Brand Manager Rajat Thapa, Nepal PGA General Secretary Deepak Acharya, Hotel Royal Singi Chairman Tashi Ghale, Dish Home CEO Sudeep Acharya, President of Federation of Nepali Journalists Dr Mahendra Bista, Secretary at Urban Development Ministry Dipendra Nath Sharma, Joint-secretary at Youth and Sports Ministry Chudamani Paudel, Annapurna Post Editor Yubara Ghimire, Nepal Tourism Board CEO Deepak Raj Joshi handed over the trophies to the winners and nominees. Pulsar was the main sponsor of the Award which was dedicated to sports journalist Suman Bhomjan, who lost his life in earthquake last year. Surya Nepal, ISME, Dish Home, Ruslan Football, Avenues Television, RJ Sports, THT LIVE, National Sports Council, Nepal Olympic Committee, Royal Singi Hotel, John Players, Timex, Hotel Crown Plaza, Emazing, All in One Arts Service and Nepal Music were the co-sponsors and partners of the programme.  Veteran singer Yogeshwor Amatya, Cartoonz Crew, actors Binay Shrestha and Menuka Pradhan, bodybuilder Nirmala Maharjan, and Nepal APF cultural team entertained the audience with their performances.