local briefs

Olympic Day Run

Kathmandu: Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) organised the Olympic Day Run here today to mark the birth anniversary of modern Olympic Games.

Olympian Jeet Bahadur KC and Hari Rokka hoisted the flag at the inaugural ceremony at the Dasharath Stadium. Minister for Education and Sports Pradeep Nepal, NOC President Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan, National Sports Council Member Secretary Jeevan Ram Shrestha and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zheng Xianglin among others were present on the occasion. NOC Vice President Rabi Raj Thapa read out the message of International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogges, while NOC President Pradhan released the cover of the book ‘Nepalese Athletes in Olympics’ being published by the NOC under the assistance of the Nepal Olympic Museum. A total of 3,000 players, representatives from various

associations and students took part in the Run that started from the Dasharath Stadium and

ended at Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square. Popular singers like Nalina Chitrakar, Dhiraj Rai, Mingma Sherpa, Ravi Bajracharya, Mad Zone and Kid Soul presented various songs to entertain the participants. — HNS

Nabita, Renuka win

Kathmandu: Muna Basukala, Nabita Shrestha, Renuka Khatri and Swechchha Nembang entered the women’s singles semi-finals at the first ANTTA Open Table Tennis Tournament here today. Rajendra Kapali, Ajay Suwal, Sandesh Awale, Mohan Das Basukala, Chandan Shahi, Purushottam Bajracharya, Deepak Nepali, Ranjeet Rayamajhi, Sunil maharjan, Abhinayak Pratap Rana, Bishal Malla and Shiva Shanker Gothe made it to the round of 16 in the men’s singles event. Likewise, Kamala Pokhrel, Purna Ratna Rai, Rijina Deshar, Reshma Rasaili, Apehsha Shakya, Elina Maharjan, Renuka Khatri and Nabita Shrestha entered the junior girls’ (U-18) section quarter-finals. Samisha Maharjan, Sushma Basnet, Rejina Lama and Ayushi Maharjan made it to the cadet girls’ (U-12) section semi-finals. — HNS