Lalitpur, December 3

Nepal added two gold medals today to the seven they won on the first day of the karate competition under the 13th South Asian Games.

Nabin Rasaili and Sunita Maharjan claimed gold medals to take the tally to nine. Bangladesh bagged three and Pakistan won one today.

Rasaili defeated Ahmed Naseer of Pakistan 8-6 in the final bout of the men’s below-67kg weight category. Rasaili, who beat Md Ferdous of Bangladesh 8-2 in the first round, came from two points behind in the final bout against Naseer.

Rasaili scored an ippon to open up a 4-2 lead and extended that to 7-2 at one point.

Naseer then got an ippon against Rasaili to reduce the deficit to 7-5 before both the players earned a point each.

With the final beep, Rasaili threw himself on the mat as he celebrated the victory.

Sunita Maharjan added another gold for the home team after she defeated Pakistan’s Kulsum 8-2 in the final of the women’s 68kg weight category.

Another Nepali karateka Anu Gurung claimed silver after she lost 5-2 against Humaira Akhter of Pakistan in the women’s 61kg final, while Ganga Ram Kasahawar faced a 8-0 defeat at the hands of Pakistan’s Gulam Abbas in the men’s 75kg weight category. Also, Rajeev Pudasaini bagged bronze in men’s 60kg, Manisha Chaudhary came third in women’s 55kg section.

On Monday, Nepal bagged seven gold medals. Manday Kaji Shrestha won individual kata and teamed up with Mahasus Tamang and Prabin Manandhar to bag gold medal in team kata.

Nirmala Tamang, Sangita Magar and Saru Karki finished first in women team kata. In kumite, Laxman Tamang (below-55kg), Biplav Lal Shrestha (above-84kg), Kusum Khadka (below-45kg) and Anu Adhikari (below-50kg) bagged gold medals.