Local Briefs

Swimming C’ships

KATHMANDU: The 15th National Open Swimming Championships is scheduled to begin from September 9 at the Satdobato Swimming Complex. In all, 20 events --10 each in men and women's section -- have been included in the Open category, said the organisers, Nepal Swimming Association (NSA) on Friday. Apart from Open competition, the organisers have also included age group (U-12, 13-14yrs and 15-17yrs) competition. The three-day championships features 28 age-group events. The tournament is also part of Nepal's preparation for the 11th South Asian Games (SAG) to be held in Dhaka next year. The NSA will pick the talented swimmers of the championships and train them for the regional games. — HNS

St Xavier’s win

LALITPUR: Golden Gate and St Xavier's won their respective matches of the first Patan Jaycees Inter-college Basketball Tournament here on Friday. In the girls' section Golden Gate registered a comfortable 42-12 win over Xavier International riding on 12 points from Neha Chaudhary. Rojina also contributed 12 points in the St Xavier's' 39-16 win over Mali International. — HNS

Rating Chess tourney

KATHMANDU: The Himalayan Chess Club is organising the first National Club Team Rating Chess Championship here on August 9-13. A total of 17 teams will compete for the championship. Machhindra, Kantipur, Three Star, Kathmandu, Elite and Makhan Chess Club will represent in the tournament participate as club teams, the organisers informed here at a press meet on Friday. Top three teams will receive Rs 50,000, Rs 30,000 and Rs 20,000 respectively. District Chess Associations of Bhaktapur, Sunsari, Banke, Dolakha, Baglung, Kaski, Rupandehi, Kailali and Kanchanpur along with and a team of Patan Multiple Campus will participate in the tournament. Played in the Swiss League Format over eight rounds, each team comprises of four players. The Rs 800,000 tournament offers a total of Rs.160,000 in the cash prizes. India's International Arbitor Dharmendra Kumar Jha will officiate the tournament. — HNS

Bahundanda Cup

LAMJUNG: Defending champions Adarsha Club, Triveni Club and Moonstar Club made it to the semi-finals of the Bahundanda Cup Football Tournament on Friday. Adarsha Club hammered Mount Manaslu Club 6-0, Triveni edged past last year's finalist Purnima Club 2-0 and Moonstar defeated Prativa Club 2-1 in the quarter-finals. Adarsha Youth Club have already entered the last four on Thursday. Moonstar will play Triveni and Adarsha Youth Club will take on Adarsha Club in the semi-finals on Saturday. In the women's section, Mount Manaslu set championship date with Prativa Club. Manaslu saw off Manaslu Marshyangdi 4-0 today. — HNS

NNIPA’s appeal

KATHMANDU: The National and International Players' Association (NNIPA) on Friday has urged the National Olympic Committee (NOC) to help ailing former Taekwondo international Manju Tuladhar. Tuladhar, the eighth South Asian Federation (SAF) Games silver medalist, was recently diagnosed with failed kidneys and ever since has been undergoing dialysis twice a week at the Blue Cross Nursing Home where the doctors have advised her for transplantation at the earliest. NOC President Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan expressed commitments to help the former player. Tuladhar also has a gold medal under her belt at the second National Games in 1983 apart from bronze medals at the Asian Taekwondo Championship in 1998 and the third National Games in 1985. — HNS

Danuwar strikes gold

LALITPUR: Manoj Danuwar of Udayapur won the 60kg weight category gold medal at the third Open Wadokai Karate and Kickboxing Tournament here on Friday. Danuwar beat Dhruba Thapa of Manamaiju in final. In men's open category, Sanja Maharjan clinched the gold defeating Umesh Silwal of Godavari. In women's 25kg, Sunita Ghalan of Godavari dojo outplayed Ayushma Khadka of Clark to take gold. Sima BK of Clark and Puja Silwal of Godavari entered to the finals in the women's 30kg section. Likewise, Binda Magar of Udayapur and Mangali Magar of Godavari will fight for the 35kg gold. Kavita Poudel of Manamaiju and Lalita Rai of Godavari also cruised to the the final. Sonam Shrestha of Godavari will take on Rina Shrestha of Thecho for a gold in women's 45kg bout. Similarly, Niru Tamang of Thecho and Sushila KC of Clark set dates for the 55kg final. Also advancing to the final were Saroj Danwar of Udayapur and Sunil Lama of Clark in 20kg, Sushant Shrestha of Clark and Praveen Tamang of Godavari in 25kg, Sudin Lopchan of Clark and Sameer Khatri of Jeevan Jyoti in 30kg and Sushil Ghalan of Godavari and Milan Maharjan of Thecho in 45kg. The tournament is jointly organised by Godavari dojo of Nepal Wadokai Karate Association and Grecian Academy. — HNS

Karate tournament

KATHMANDU: Anusha Ranki of Blue Sky Public School advanced to the finals of th girls' 25kg weight category at the first Inter-school Karate Tournament on Friday. Anusha will take on Baba Pandey of Arunodaya in the final. In the boys' 50kg section, Maheshwor Adhikari of Siddhartha Banasthali Institute and Anil Gurung of Nava Jeevan reached the final. A total of 250 students of 20 schools are participating in the tournament organised by Kaling Chowk dojo to mark the 45th Children's Day. — HNS

NK Memorial football

KATHMANDU: Shree Budhanilkantha School claimed the NK Memorial Inter-college Football Tournament with a 2-1 win over Budhanilkantha School here on Friday. Santosh Adhikari scored a brace for Shree Budhanilkantha while Madan Limbu converted for Budhanilkantha. Rohit Khadka of the losing finalists was adjudged the best player of the tournament while man of the match Santosh won the best striker award. Bibek KC of Budhanilkantha bagged the best defender award while Himalayan White House College were name as the Fair Play Team. — HNS