Kathmandu, December 1:

India topped the medal standing on the opening day of the first South Asian Taekwondo (ITF) Tournament with nine gold, four silver and seven bronze medals here today. Hosts Nepal won three gold, nine silver and 12 bronze medals.

Gold medal winners for the Indian team in the women’s patron were Ramya Shree, Ritu Pandey and Jyotsana Singh. For Nepal Laxmi Maya Gautam and Shanti Tamang earn gold medals in women’s patron.

Likewise, Nishant, Sanjay, Prithvi Tamang and Mohammad Jijo also gave India the gold medals in the men’s patron while Hanok Limbu earned a lone gold for Nepal in the patron.

Organised by the Nepal International Taekwondo Federation, about 200 players from the Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are taking part in the tournament featuring 53 gold medals in five events — patron, team patron, spiring, team spiring and self defence.

Earlier, Minister for Youth and Sports Gopal Shakya inaugurated the event. NITF president Krishna Bahadur Balal, Vice-president of the National Sports Council (NSC) Sitaram Maskey, NSC Member Secretary Jeevan Ram Shrestha and Nepal Olympic Committee President Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan among others were present on the occasion.