Kathmandu, September 3

Nepal Sports Journalists Forum today unveiled the nominees of four categories of the Pulsar Sports Award slated for September 11 at the Nepal Academy Hall.

A seven-member selection committee, coordinated by NSJF Secretary Raju Ghising Tamang, announced five each nominees in Male, Female, Youth and Coach categories amid a programme.

Footballer Kiran Kumar Limbu, shuttler Ratnajit Tamang, cricketer Sharad Vesawkar, athlete Som Bahadur Kumal and spiker Man Bahadur Shrestha were nominated in male category, while athlete Kanchhi Maya Koju, archer Gyanu Awale, shuttler Nangsal Tamang, footballer Sabitra Bhandari and athlete Saraswoti Bhattarai made the cut in female section.

Likewise, cricketer Dipendra Singh Airee, footballer Ananta Tamang, judoka Manita Shrestha Pradhan, lifter Kamala Shrestha and spiker Pratibha Mali were picked up in the youth section, whereas Gyotoku Koji and Meghraj KC (football), Pushpa Raj Ojha (athletics), Jagat Tamatta (cricket) and Kiran Thapa (badminton) were named in the coach category.

Coordinator of the selection committee Ghising said the nominees were selected based on their performance and achievements in national and international competitions held last year. NSJF had earlier announced the nominees of the People’s Choice category which will be decided on SMS votes. Cricketer Dipendra Singh Airee, swimmer Gaurika Singh, athlete Kanchhi Maya Koju, judoka Phupu Lhamu Khatri and footballer Sujal Shrestha are in the race.

The winners of life time achievement, special and para-athlete award will be announced directly during the award ceremony. The winners in Male, Female, People’s Choice and Coach will get Bajaj NS160 motorbike each, while others will receive Rs 50,000 each and gift hampers, informed selection committee member Sarita Shrestha.

Goalkeeper Limbu saved three spot kicks to help national football win the AFC Solidarity Cup and was the key member of the TC Sports Club of Maldives where he has been playing professional football.

Similarly, badminton player Tamang, who teamed up with his sister Nangsal, won the mixed doubles gold medal in Pakistan International  Series and also dominated the domestic events including seventh National Games. Cricketer Vesawkar played pivotal role in national team’s matches, while athlete Kumal won gold medal in 400m and silver medal in 800m races in Brunei Open Athletics Championship and bagged three gold medals in National Games.

Volleyball player Shrestha was the best outside attacker as the national team won their first ever international medal in AVM Central Zone Volleyball Tournament in Maldives and he also helped Tribhuvan Army Club win four gold medals in domestic tournaments.

In female section, long-distance runner Koju, who is also nominated in People’s Choice Award category, set national records in half marathon and full marathon, won two gold medals in seventh National Games and finished first in her age category of the New Taipei City Wan Jin Shi Marathon.

Similarly, archer Awale won silver medal in team event of 70m recurve category of the International Solidarity Archery Championship in Bangladesh and set national record of 303 points while winning gold medal in 70m recurve in the National Games. Shuttler Tamang won mixed doubles gold medal in the Pakistan International Series and finished third in singles category. Like her brother, she also dominated domestic tournaments.

Bhandari, who scored 13 international goals and 29 goals in national tournaments, became first Nepali woman footballer to complete double hat-trick in the fourth SAFF Women’s Championship in India. She netted 13 goals in Nepal APF Club’s victorious campaign in the CoAS Cup. Athlete Bhattarai broke 26-year-old national record in 1,500m race during the Rio Olympics and bagged three gold medals in the seventh National Games.

Youth category nominee Airee scored a total of 357 runs including 211 for the national team with three half centuries. Footballer Tamang was the member of national team that won the AFC Solidarity Cup. Judoka Pradhan won bronze medal in the 10th Cadet Asian Judo Championship in India and also bagged gold medals in three national-level events.

Similarly lifter Shrestha set four national records, including one in the Youth and Junior Asian Weightlifting Championship in Japan, while skiper Mali — Women’s World Cup Qualifying squad member — won four gold medals for New Diamond Academy in domestic tournaments and won the best player’s award in four tournaments.

Similarly, Koji led Nepal to the AFC Solidarity Cup title, while athletics coach Ojha guided athlete Saraswoti Bhattarai and Hari Kumar Rimal in the Rio Olympics and helped TAC win 22 gold, 16 silver and eight bronze medals in the seventh National Games.

Football coach KC led Three Star Club to the second round of the AFC Cup and also bagged the 64th Bordoloi Trophy in India. National cricket team coach Tamatta saw his side win four out of six matches of the ICC World Cricket League Championship. Thapa guided Tamang siblings to the gold medal in Pakistan.