Olympian Khatri off to Japan
Lalitpur, April 29
Olympian judoka Phupu Lhamu Khatri today left for Japan to prepare for the 2020 Olympic Games under the Olympic Solidarity Course.
She will train for two years and three months at the Takaoka University of Law in Toyama. Khatri will prepare for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and will continue her studies, informed Nepal Judo Association President Deepak Harsha Bajracharya at a farewell programme.
Bajracharya hoped that the 12th South Asian Games gold medallist Khatri, who represented Nepal in Rio Olympics in 2016 through wild card, would be able to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics after undergoing intensive training in Japan. Bajracharya said that the NJA would send another judoka Manita Shrestha Pradhan to Japan after the 18th Asian Games.
Nepal Olympic Committee President Jeevan Ram Shrestha bade farewell to Khatri and said that the tradition of two-three months training before major tournaments needed to be ended. “We can hope Olympics medals from the players who qualify through selection events,” said Shrestha.
Meanwhile, Khatri said she was happy to get the opportunity and that she would make the most out of the training. “My aim is to qualify for the Olympics as done by taekwondo players Sangina Baidya and Deepak Bista,” said Khatri. “I am excited with the opportunity and I will try my best to utilise it,” said Khatri.
