KATHMANDU: Sujan Joshi of Sallaghari and Sujan Pujari of Dhalko advanced to the men’s 58kg semi-finals in the fourth Korean Ambassador National Taekwondo Championships here on Sunday.

Joshi defeated Anish Maharjan of Khumal while Pujari beat Dinesh Shrestha of National Taekwondo Training Centre (NTTC). Likewise, Purushottam Manandhar of Birgunj saw off Yam Bahadur Pun of Nepal Police Club (NPC) and Surendra Chaudhary of Chitwan dispatched Kumar Pun of Prithvi Dojo in the same weight category.

Making it to the men’s 63kg semi-finals was Durga Bahadur of NPC, who ousted his team mate Ganesh Bahadur Khadka. Entering the men’s 54kg quarters were Santosh Pun of Balgram, Sitaram Aryal of Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC), Rajendra Shahi of Birgunj and Bishnu Kumar Chaudhary of Butwal. Santosh beat Sunil Limbu of Voice of Children (VoC), Sitaram beat Prem Malla of NTTC, Rajendra overcame Sandip Baral of Kaski and Bishnu beat Raju Lama of People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

In the men’s 45kg, Meka Bahadur Lama of Balgram and Dipesh Shakya of Bindeswor entered the last eight. Meka Bahadur beat Mahesh Karki of Public Dojo while Dipesh saw off Sonam Ghising of Balgram. Joining them in the quarter-finals were Pradeep Ale of Dhalko, Sushil Babu Acharya of Balgram, Suraj Acharya of Bhumahi and Suman Dahal of Mulpani.

Sangita Pulama of Nijgadh and Parbati Gurung of Chitwan entered the women’s 42kg quarter-finals. Sangita defeated Parbati Lama of Om Dojo and Parbati Gurung got the better of Kabita Thapa of Panauti. Shakti Kumari Gurung of Challenger also made it to the last eight in the same weight category.

Entering the women’s 49kg section second round were Jenisha Shrestha of Layku and Puja Amatya of Trisuli. Jenisha beat Chandra Shrestha of Bijeshwori and Puja saw off Shanti Ghale of Dhading. Also, Muna Rai of Chaksikot beat Sumi Lama of Sagarmatha and Jitkala Gurung of Simara beat Diwana Shrestha of Chaksikot.