Kathmandu, September 29

Arjun Barnabal and Maheshwor Maharjan earned the tickets to final round of the 14th Dharmashree here today.

Nepal Byayam Mandir’s Barnabal, who won the Mr Bullsmen title in Pokhara earlier this month, entered the final round of the above-80kg section along with his teammate Girish Maharjan, Prakash Rai of Planet Fitness, Bijayttam Raj Bajracharya of Shape To Fitness and Chitwan’s Bodh Bahadur Khadka.

Likewise, Maharjan of Shape Fitness qualified for the final round of the 80kg section from the pre-judging round held at the Nepal Police Academy today. Maharjan had won the gold medal in the Asian Championship in Bhutan last month. Also making it to the final were Mahesh Maharjan of Fitness Studio, Naresh Malakar of New Flex, Tul Bahadur Shrestha of Brother and Sister, Bal Mukunda Awal of Flex, and Mukesh Jyapu of Shankhamool.

Milan Bikram Sijapati, Nabin Rana, Pravesh Shrestha, Labin Gaha, Umesh Rai and Dinesh Manandhar advanced to the 75kg finals, while Rajesh Magar, Bisuram KC, Ram Hari Khanal, Kiran Yadav, Ashok Maharjan and Chandra Kumar KC earned finals tickets in 70kg. In the 65kg section, Brijendra Man Shrestha, Anil Lal Shrestha, Roshan Bikram Shahi, Bikash Dhimal, Ajay Kumar Gupta and Ram Bahadur Dahal advanced to 65kg finals, whereas Ramesh Karki, Nabin Kumar Yogi, Aashish Dhebaju, Prakash Bahadur Karki, Supendra Dangol and Sanjeev Kumar Shrestha made it to finals in 60kg.

Similarly, Suresh Gurung, Bishnu Bahadur Singh, Sushil Bindukar, Kamal Bhandari, Pukar Bikram Shah and Sabin Maharjan advanced to the 55kg finals. The annual championship is organised by Nepal Byayam Mandir under the sponsorship of Gionee mobile.

Top bodybuilders from all the seven weight categories will vie for the Mr Dharmashree title and pay cheque of Rs 500,000. The final rounds are on Friday at the Nepal Academy Hall.