Sports

Shrestha wins record eighth gold

Shrestha wins record eighth gold

By Himalayan News Service

8th National Games logo. Photo: THT

Nepalgunj, April 13 Nepal Police Club duo Shantoo Shrestha and Nabita Shrestha won the singles titles of the 40th National Table Tennis Championship under the eighth National Games in Ghorahi, Dang today. Shantoo defeated fellow NPC player Pradip Rokka 11-6, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 in men’s singles final, while Nabita registered a 11-8, 11- 9, 8-11, 10-12, 11-9 victory over her teammate Elina Maharjan in women’s singles final. Nabita, who was level on most wins with Shijarin Shah at seven national championship titles, bagged her record eighth consecutive gold medal. Squash player Hira Bahadur Thapa holds the record of all-time most wins with 17 national titles. Nabita claimed four gold medals in the eighth National Games as NPC dominated the show with six golds out of seven on offer. Apart from the women’s singles, Nabita bagged women’s doubles, mixed doubles and team event gold medals. Shantoo also won three gold medals — singles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles. Nepal APF Club won a gold in men’s team event. Fencing Tribhuvan Army Club won the women’s team event gold medal in the fourth National Fencing Championship in Nepalgunj. TAC accumulated 45 points to edge past Nepal APF Club by just one point. Province-3 and Province-1 finished joint third. TAC added another gold medal on the final day when the men’s team won the Foil team event with 45 points. Province-3 finished second with 22 points, while Province-1 and Province-4 were joint third. Province-3 bagged the men’s Sabre team event gold with 45 points, while APF came second with 39. TAC and Province-1 finished joint third. Squash Amrit Thapa Magar won the men’s singles gold medal of the National Squash Championship in Lalitpur. Defending champion Thapa Magar registered a 11-5, 3-11, 11-7, 11-4 victory over Pabin Bir Singh Kansakar of Province-3 in the final. In women’s section round-robin league, Bhavana Sunuwar of Provine-3 defeated her teammate Bipana Blon 11-7, 13-11, 12- 10 for her fourth victory. Krishna Thapa (Province-4) beat Swasthani Shrestha (Province-3) 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 and Manjila Magar (Province-3) outplayed Shalini Ghimire (Province-4) 11-3, 11-2, 11-3. In men’s team event, Nepal APF Club, Province-1, Province-3 and Province-4 registered wins. Lawn Tennis Nepal APF Club’s Ivan-ho Lissanevitch and Ashlesha Lissanevitch won the mixed doubles title of the 15th National Lawn Tennis Tournament in Rupandehi. The Lissanevitch siblings defeated Province-3 duo Abhilasha Bista and Pranav Khanal 3-6, 6-4, 10-7 in final. Anil Shahi/Ganga Sharma of Province-4 and TAC duo Abhinav Acharya and Ira Rawat finished joint third. Ivan-ho and Jitendra Pariyar also made it to the men’s doubles final and will face Pradip Khadka and Nabin Magar of Province-4. Likewise, Ashlesha and Saloni Tamang advanced to the women’s doubles final along with APF duo Prerana Koirala and Ani Mathema. Triathlon Departmental teams Tribhuvan Army Club and Nepal APF Club dominated the Triathlon Championship in Kaski. TAC’s Dipesh Chaudhary won the men’s sprint gold medal in one hour, eight minutes and 88 seconds, finishing ahead of his teammate Basanta Tharu (1:09:09). APF’s Nitesh Manandhar came third in 1:15:09. In women’s section, APF’s Sony Gurung won gold medal in one hour and 22 minutes, while TAC’s Kehari Thapa (1:29:30) bagged silver and Gandaki Province’s Jamuna Thapa (2:30) came third. In Duathlon, APF’s Laxam Malla won sprint gold medal in 1:01:15, while TAC’s Himal Tamatta (1:01:58) and APF’s Kiran Kumar Malla (1:04:16) came second and third. Huma Budha Magar of APF won women’s section gold medal in 1:16:17, finishing ahead of TAC’s Nirjala Tamrakar (1:17:47) and Sakuntala Budha Magar (1:29:46).