Kathmandu, November 20:

Ram Singh Chaudhary of Kailali beat Pankaj Chand of Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) 21-14, 21-18 to claim the men’s singles trophy at the fifth Nationwide Krishna Mohan Memorial Open Badminton Championship.

Pankaj, however, combined with Rajiv Dahal to win the men’s doubles championship. Pankaj and Rajiv defeated fellow APF teammates Indra Mahata and Bishal Pradhan 21-18, 21-12 in final. Sara Devi Tamang bagged the women’s singles championship on Wednesday by defeating Puja Shrestha.

Other champions decided on Wednesday were Bina Tulachan and Sara Devi Tamang (women’s doubles), Sajan Krishna Tamrakar (U-19 boys), Sushmita Gurung (U-19 girls), Puja and Indra Mahata (mixed doubles), and Ganesh Thapa and Suresh Chandra Shrestha (veterans’ doubles).

Organised by the APF, more than 500 shuttlers from 40 districts fought for the championships in eight categories — men and women’s singles and doubles, mixed and veterans’ doubles and Under-19 boys and girls’ singles. Men’s singles winner received Rs 50,000 while the runner got Rs 25,000. Losing semi-finalists pocketed Rs 10,000 and the four losing quarter-finalists in the men’s singles section got Rs 5,000 each.

Winner and runner in the women’s singles earned Rs 30,000 and Rs 20,000 respectively while

the losing semi-finalists got Rs 10,000 each. Men’s doubles winners bagged Rs 50,000 (Rs 25,000 each) and runners up Rs 30,000 while the losing semi-finalists earned Rs 10,000 each. Women’s doubles and mixed doubles champions received Rs 30,000 and runners up Rs 20,000 each while the losing semi-finalists pocketed Rs 10,000.

Likewise, winners in the U-19 boys and girls’ section won a purse of Rs 20,000 and the runners up Rs 10,000 each whereas the losing semi-finalists got Rs 5,000 each. Deputy PM and Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam and Minister for Youth and Sports Gopal Shakya gave away prizes to the winners.