Kathmandu, October 13

A four-member judo team is on Saturday leaving for Croatia to take part in the World Junior Judo Championship slated for October 18-22 in Zagreb.

Judoka Manita Shrestha Pradhan will compete in the women’s below-57kg weight category, while Indra Bahadur Shrestha will take part in the men’s below-66kg event. Team manager Babu Raja Maharjan and coach Dal Bahadur Gurung will also accompany the players to Zagreb.

National Sports Council Member Secretary Keshab Kumar Bista and Nepal Judo Association President Deepak Harsha Bajracharya bade farewell to the team today. NJA President Bajracharya thanked the International Judo Federation for assigning Romanian coach Dan Telearca to train Nepali players for a year.

According to Bajracharya, IJF would bear salary and airfare to Telearca, while local accommodation will be covered by the NJA.

“We are seeking approval from NSC to bring in the coach and he will be Nepal if we get green light from the sports governing body,” said Bajracharya. He also informed that Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA-Nepal) was ready to provide trainers for two years to train children of schools and orphanages.