Kathmandu, April 4

Nepal Taekwondo Association felicitated the 12th South Asian Games medal winning taekwondo players here on Monday.

Nepal, who failed to win gold medal for the first time since taekwondo was introduced in the regional games in the eighth edition held in Kathmandu in 1999, returned home with seven silver and three bronze medals from Shillong, India last month. Nepal had won 14 gold medals on home soil to help the country finish second in medal tally behind India. Deepak Bista holds the South Asian record of four consecutive gold medals in as many participation.

Seven silver medallists Bir Bahadur Mahara, Sakshyam Karki, Rejina Karki, Yan Kumari Chaulagain, Nima Gurung, Gyani Chunara and Ayasha Shakya were rewarded with Rs 17,000 each, while three bronze medal winners Sunil Paudel, Nischalman Shrestha and Ramhari Mahat received Rs 10,000 apiece along with appreciation letters.

Nepal had won a total of eight gold medals in the 11th SA Games in Dhaka in 2010 and Ayasha Shakya was the lone Nepali athlete who had gone to India to defend her gold medal. She lost to Indian player Margerita Regi in sudden death after a 6-6 draw in regulation play.

Nepal had fielded 13 players in the SA Games and Mohammad Wes, Chandra Bahadur Rana Magar and Prem Bahadur Budhathoki were the three players who failed to touch medal. The three players along with five coaches — chief coach Dhruba Bahadur Gurung, assistant chief coach Sangina Baidya, Nabin Kumar Shrestha, Deepak Bista and Ganesh Bahadur Zimba — and team manager Suman Kumar Ghale were honoured with felicitation letters. Minister for Youth and Sports Satya Narayan Mandal handed over the cash and appreciation letters to the players and officials.