KATHMANDU: The most celebrated sportsperson in Nepali sports history, taekwondo ace Sangina Baidya on Sunday formally announced retirement from her 20-year-long career. “It’s very difficult as I am retiring from the sport I have played for almost two decades,” said Sangina at a ceremony organised in her honour on the sidelines of the fourth Korean Ambassador National Taekwondo Championship. “I wanted to play more for the country but my legs did not permit me to do so and I think this is the right time to announce the retirement,” said Sangina, the first Nepali sportsperson to qualify for the Olympics, justifying her retirement. “I am at this position only because of taekwondo. In these 20 years, I have come across so many proud moments. I have raised country’s flags on many occasions and at times I also had sad moments which I think are a part of the game,” said emotional Sangina. She last played a competitive match in the 10th South Asian Games in Colombo in 2006 where she was restricted to bronze medal. The 34-year-old star of the Nepali sports has won 25 medals — 20 gold, one silver and four bronze — for the country from 31 international participations. Sangina ruled the sport in the country winning gold medals in all the 10 national-level tournaments she participated in from 1992-2001. She came into limelight when she won the gold medal in the 13th Asian taekwondo Championship in Australia in 1996 becoming the first Nepali sportsperson to win Asian-level gold medal. She had won the silver medal in the 11th edition of the tournament in Philippines in 1994. Her best moment, however, came in 2004 when she qualified for the Olympics by winning the bronze medal at the Asian Regional Taekwondo Qualification Tournament in Bangkok for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. In the process, Sangina also became the first-ever Nepali player to qualify for the Olympics. “I feel proud that I chose sports. The best moments in career are the successes I achieved in the Asian Championship and the Olympic qualifiers,” she said, addressing the press meet organised after the announcement ceremony. “My achievements are not only mine. I would like to dedicate all these to my family. My parents and family always encouraged me to go ahead at that time when people would like to put their kids away from sports,” said Sangina. “I could have done nothing without the support of my family,” she added. Born to Achuta Nanda Baidya and Nirmala Baidya in Trishuli Colony, Bidur Municipality in Nuwakot district in 1975, Sangina took up taekwondo in 1991 and ruled the field for more than 15 years. At present, she is a senior coach at the National Sports Council and has been looking after the Tribhuvan Army Club players. “I cannot stay away from taekwondo. If not as a player, I will continue serving the sport as a coach or in any other role,” she said.