Kathmandu, November 19

The National Team Preparation Committee under National Sports Council today said the host country was preparing at the best for the 13th South Asian Games slated for December 1-10 in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Janakpur.

“As we are taking part in all the 27 sports disciplines in SA Games, we have provided special training to the athletes with an aim of getting better results,” said National Team Preparation Committee convenor Rim Ranabhat at a press meet.

Ranabhat said they were fielding a total of 599 athletes — 213 men and 287 women — in the regional sporting extravaganza which is being held for the third time in Nepal. The figure, however, differed to that of 648 athletes claimed by the National Sports Council Member Secretary Ramesh Kumar Silwal during the countdown programme on Saturday.

“We have been training the athletes in planned manner as we are aiming to win the highest number of medals this time around,” said Ranabhat. “We started with special course in May and the athletes are in third phase of training from October 18 onwards,” he added.

The committee informed athletes of 21 sports disciplines were sent to foreign training in different countries. “We have not let any stone unturned regarding the training of the athletes and we are hoping to get historic achievements in the SA Games,” said Ranabhat.