Nepal set to return home empty-handed
KATHMANDU: Nepal will have to return empty-handed from the third Indoor Asian Games after the archery and snooker teams lost their respective events today in Hanoi, Vietnam.
In the men’s team recurve event on Friday at the Haiphoi Youth Gymnasium, Nepal put on a competitive match against Mongolia but ended up with a 217-224 loss. Mongolia collected 56 points in the first round while Nepal mustered only 54 in the first round. In the second round, Nepal collected 53 in comparison to Mongolia’s 55. Nepal trailed in the third and fourth round with 55-56 and 55-57 respectively. The Nepali team consisted of Asim Sherchan, Jeet Bahadur Moktan and Prem Prasad Pun.
Meanwhile, in the men’s team event of snooker at the Fan Di Fung Gymnasium in Ho Chi Minh, Nepal lost
to Saudi Arabia 3-2. Saudi Arabia won the first frame with a comprehensive score of 73-23 but Nepal bounced back with Saroj Mulmi’s impressive performance winning the second frame 71-59.
Saudi Arabia then returned back with vengeance winning the third 81-6. Mulmi once again came to rescue and won the fourth frame for Nepal with 66-36. Since, Mulmi was not able to get significant support from his partner Rajen Lama, Nepal eventually lost the decider 64-7.
Nepal participated in archery, snooker, boxing, basketball and chess but there was no event to cheer on except for the first international win in three-on-three basketball against Qatar on Thursday. The Nepali team including the National Sports Council and Nepal Olympic Committee officials will make their way back home on Monday.