Kathmandu, September 4

Five players are in race to win the People’s Choice category honour of Pulsar Sports Award to organised by Nepal Sports Journalists Forum at the Nepal Academy Hall on September 11.

Cricketer Dipendra Singh Airee, swimmer Gaurika Singh, athlete Kanchhi Maya Koju, judoka Phupu Lhamu Khatri and footballer Sujal Shrestha are the nominees and the player with highest votes through SMS and Facebook likes will bag the crown. The winner will get a Bajaj Pulsar NS160 motorbike along with gift hampers from Dish Home, Surya Nepal, Horizon Carpets and Sahas Sports.

As the Award has entered the final week, the players have been running campaigns to garner votes from their fans and supporters. Cricketer Airee was picked up based on his performance in international matches. Airee had scored 62 runs against Kenya in the ICC World Cricket League Championship. He also added 56 runs against hosts Bangladesh U-23 and remained unbeaten on 60 against Hong Kong in the ACC Emerging Teams Cup. He was also a member of the youth team and he shone with the bat scoring 90 runs against Sri Lanka in the ACC U-19 Asia Cup.

Swimmer Singh stole the limelight when she became the youngest player of Rio Olympic Games held in Brazil and took the national record tally to 30. The long-distance runner Koju proved her metal after winning seven out of eight events last year apart from setting national records in half marathon and full marathon.

Likewise, Khatri became the first Nepali judoka to play full bout in Olympics when she survived for four minutes in Rio. She also bagged silver medal in the 17th Asian Junior Judo Championships in India and claimed gold medal in National Games. Similarly, footballer Shrestha made headlines after scoring the solitary goal against Macau in the final of the AFC Solidarity Cup in Malaysia. Shrestha also played key role in making Laxmi Hyundai Manang Marshyangdi Club champions in four domestic tournaments.