Kathmandu, February 23

Nepal Judo Association felicitated the 12th South Asian Games medal winning judo players and officials here at the Olympian semi-covered hall today.

Judo made a successful comeback in the regional games held in India’s Guwahati and Shillong from February 5-16, winning one gold, two silver and six bronze medals. Phupu Lhamu Khatri became the first Nepali woman gold medallist as judo won gold medal for the first time in 21 years. Judo had not won gold medal since winning three in seventh SAF Games in 1995.

National Sports Council Member Secretary Keshab Kumar Bista handed over Rs 50,000 to Khatri and Rs 30,000 each to silver medallists Lila Adhikari and Manita Shrestha Pradhan. Likewise, six bronze medal winners — Sarita Chaudhary, Ganga Chaudhary, Poonam Shrestha, Indra Bahadur Shrestha, Ramesh Magar and Shiva Bahadur Baram — were rewarded with Rs 20,000 each.

Also, the NJA felicitated coaches Dal Bahadur Gurung and Indra Dangol with Rs 20,000 each, while managers Debu Thapa and Ganga Bahadur Khadka received Rs 15,000 apiece. Olympian Thapa was given a special responsibility of looking after Khatri for the Games and she also accompanied the player to Hungary for one-month training under Olympic Scholarship. NJA President Deepak Harsha Bajracharya, who also owns carpet factory, gave away carpets worth Rs 104,000 to players and officials along with NSC Member Secretary Bista.

Former judo player Mohan Ban, who is in Australia, has announced the cash reward of Rs 25,555 to gold medal winner Khatri and Rs 5,555 to silver medallists Adhikari and Shrestha, informed Bajracharya. “We will give that amount to the players once we receive the money from Ban,” he said.

Khatri said the gold-medal winning moment was unforgettable. “I will never forget that moment as that was the most special moment for me,” said Khatri, who will leave for Hungary tomorrow to complete the six-month Olympic Scholarship training. “I will try my best to make the nation proud in the days to come,” added Khatri, who is scheduled to participate in the Asian Judo Championship, which will also serve as qualifying tournament for 2016 Rio Olympic Games, in Uzbekistan from April 14-17.

The event was omitted in the eighth edition of the regional games held in Kathmandu in 1999 and was reintroduced in the 10th SA Games in Colombo in 2006. Khatri’s gold medal is fourth overall for Nepal in judo and first after the 1995 games. NJA President Bajracharya said the sport was regrouping after the axing in 1999 and he was satisfied with the performance of the players in India. “We got re-entry in 2006 and in the space of 10 years we were able to win one gold, two silver and six bronze medals,” said Bajracharya. “If we get support from government, we can do a lot better in South Asia.”

NSC Member Secretary Bista praised Nepali athletes’ performance in the Games. “Although we fell behind in gold medal count, the whole country rejoiced the players’ efforts,” said Bista. “And we were also able to win gold medal in the most popular sport — football,” he added. “The medal count always does not work as we fell behind because of various reasons. We received budget at the eleventh hour that hit our preparation. Our players put in their best. We were not weak but others were stronger than us,” added Bista.