Kathmandu, September 7

Cricketer Dipendra Singh Airee, footballer Ananta Tamang, judoka Manita Shrestha Pradhan, weightlifter Kamala Shrestha and volleyball player Pratibha Mali are in the race to win this year’s Player of the Year (Youth) category under the Pulsar Sports Award.

The annual Award, organised by Nepal Sports Journalists Forum, is slated for September 11 at the Nepal Academy Hall. National U-19 cricket team skipper Airee, who is also nominated in the People’s Choice Award category, scored a total of 357 runs last year including 211 runs for the national team with three half centuries.

He contributed 62 runs against Kenya in the ICC World Cricket League Championship and also scored 56 runs against hosts Bangladesh U-23 and remained unbeaten on 60 runs against Hong Kong in ACC Emerging Teams Cup.

National football defender Tamang was the member of the senior team that won the AFC Solidarity Cup. He also scored a goal against Laos in the semi-final match and did a brilliant job in defense.

Likewise, judoka Pradhan, who claimed bronze medal in the 10th Cadet Asian Judo Championship in India, was the gold medallist in the seventh National Games, Valley-wide Ambika Memorial and Olympic Day Judo events.

Lifter Shrestha made the headlines when she broke four national records, including one in the Youth and Junior Asian Weightlifting Championship in Japan while lifting a total weight of 140kg. Shrestha also set three national records in the seventh National Games.

Spiker Mali, who has received an opportunity of a three-week training in the Netherlands, won four gold medals for New Diamond Academy in domestic tournaments and won the best player’s award in four tournaments. She also played key role when Nepal defeated Maldives in the Women’s World Cup Qualifying round match in Male. She was also the member of the Miskiymagu Emmenge Gulhum Club that won the Maldives Volleyball League.

The Award features eight categories in Male, Female, Youth, Coach, People’s Choice, Special, Para-Athlete and Lifetime Achievement. The winners of the four categories — Male, Female, Coach, People’s Choice — will receive Bajaj NS160 motorcycle, while others will get Rs 50,000 along with gift hampers from Surya Nepal, Horizon Carpets and Sahas Sports.

Hansraj Hulaschand and Company is the main sponsor of the Award, while Surya Nepal, International Society for Medical Education, Dish Media, THT Live, Avenues TV, Sahas Sports, National Sports Council, Nepal Olympic Committee, Royal Singi Hotel, and Ruslan Football are the partners of the programme.