Colombo, August 25 :

Rajendra Bhandari created history winning gold medal and setting the South Asian record of 14 minutes 01.19 seconds in the 5,000-metre race at the 10th South Asian Games here today.

He also broke his own national mark of 14:04.89 set at the Athens Olympics in 2004. The previous SAF record was 14:05.37 held by India’s Bahadur Prasad set in 1995 in Madras.

The gold medal was only fifth in Nepal’s athletics history, with all the previous four coming through marathon. Baikuntha Manandhar won three consecutive gold medals in the first three SAF Games, while Tika Bogati won a gold in the seventh SAF Games in Madras in 1995.

Bhandari also became the second Nepali athlete to have a South Asian record after Manandhar.

“My achievement is a challenge for others that athletes also can win gold in the regional tournament,” said Bhandari. “I have taken it as a new chapter in Asian region and I am glad to become the second athlete to set the meet record in athletics,” added the 29-year-old Nepali Army athlete.

“I am confident to win another gold,” said Bhandari about his next event, 3,000m steeplechase, scheduled for Saturday.

Bhandari was at the second position behind India’s Sunil Kumar Singh till the 4,000m mark, but geared up from that point to leave his opponents far behind. Singh finished the race in 14: 02.43 for silver, while Pakistan’s Nowshad Khan came third at 14:28.59. Meanwhile, chief of the Nepali Army Sports Department Colonel Binod Bista announced Bhandari’s promotion in the rank following his historic feat.

In the women’s 10,000m, Kanchhi Maya Koju broke the national record on her way to win silver medal. Koju of Nepal Police finished in 35: 03.43 breaking the 37:21.9 record of fellow club athlete Nirmala Bharati, who finished fifth with 39:10.16. India’s Preej Sreedharan (34:27.13) and Preethi Rao (35:24.05) won gold and bronze.

Wrestling :

Nepal won two medals on the opening day. Dharma Raj Yadav won the silver medal in 120-kg section, while Bunni Lal Yadav clinched a bronze medal in the 66-kg category.

Kabaddi ;

Nepal lost to Bangladesh in the bronze medal match. Nepal could scored just seven points in each half, while Bangladesh accumulated 36 in the first half and 28 in the second to clinch the third spot. India defeated Pakistan 40-17 in the final.

Karate :

Binod Shakya won a bronze medal in the 80-kg weight category. He lost to Sri Lanka 4-5 in the semis, and registered a 3-0 win over Bangladesh to finish third.

Volleyball :

The women’s volleyball lost their second league match and was out of the competition for gold and silver. Pakistan defeated the Nepali spikers 25-20, 25-16, 25-17. Nepal will now have to beat Maldives in the third match to stay in contention for the bronze medal.

Official complaint :

COLOMBO: Member secretary of National Sports Council and chef-de-mission of Nepali contingent at the 10th SAG, Jeevan Ram Shrestha, today filed the official complaint for playing old national anthem before the football semi-final match between Nepal and Pakistan on Thursday. Shrestha, in the letter, has demanded a public apology from the organising committee. — HNS