President Bidhya Devi Bhandari today wished success for the Nepali team scheduled to participate in the Rio Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro from August 5-21.

President Bhandari handed over the national flag to chef-de-mission Keshab Kumar Bista, who is also the Member Secretary of National Sports Council. President Bhandari asked the athletes to give their best in the Games. “Sports and athletes are the means that help in making country proud in international arena,” said Bhandari. “I wish you all the best for the Games and I believe you will put in your best performance,” added the President.

A total of seven players from five sports disciplines have been picked up to represent Nepal in the Rio Games. Athlete Hari Kumar Rimal will participate in 5,000m race, while Saraswati Bhattarai is scheduled to swim in 1,500m. Shirish Gurung will swim in 100m freestyle event, while Gaurika Singh will take part in 100m backstroke. Likewise, judoka Phupu Lhamu Khatri will fight in 63kg, whereas Nisha Rawal will take part in 67kg weight category in taekwondo. Archer Jit Bahadur Moktan will compete in Individual Recurve 70m category.

Swimmer Singh, who lives in England, was not present in the farewell ceremony. Coaches Ishwor Kumar Karki (swimming), Debu Thapa (judo), Deepak Raj Gurung (archery), Pushpa Raj Ojha (athletics) and Sangina Baidya (taekwondo) will accompany the players to Brazil.

NOC President Shrestha gave the details of Nepal’s participation in Rio Olympic Games. Apart from chef-de-mission Bista and NOC President Shrestha, NOC Vice-president Jyoti Rana, General Secretary Lama Tendi Sherpa, Treasurer Ratan Kumar Tondon, Members Nilendra Raj Shrestha, Ashok Ratna Bajracharya, Ramesh Kumar Shrestha, Samim Miya Ansari and Deepak Harsha Bajracharya, Dr Saroj Krishna Shrestha and NOC staff Sujan Lal Shrestha are also scheduled to go to Rio. Chef-de-mission Bista and NOC staff Shrestha will leave for Brazil on July 30, while three teams — swimming, archery and judo — are scheduled to depart on the following day. Taekwondo and athletics teams will leave for Rio on August 7.