Kathmandu, February 5

Nepal Police Club players Santoo Shrestha and Nabita Shrestha won the singles titles of the Samjhana Cup National Open Table Tennis Championship here at the Lainchaur covered hall today.

Santoo defeated fellow NPC player Binesh Khaniya in straight sets of 11-3, 11-7,11-8,11-6 in themen’s singles final, while Krishna Thapa Magar of Tribhuvan Army Club beat Nepal APF Club’s Sunil Maharjan 8-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9 in the third place match. In women’s singles final, Nabita registered a straight sets victory over Dikshya Tamang of TAC winning it 11-6, 13-11, 11-5, 11-6, while Swechha Nembang defeated fellow TAC teammate Raveena Maharjan 5-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-5 to finish third.

Top three players in both the sections earned berths in the World Championship slated for April 21-28 in Budapesh, Hungary. They also received Rs 50,000, Rs 25,000 and Rs 12,500 respectively.

A total of 350 players took part in the tournament which was organised by Lalitpur District Table Tennis Association under the sponsorship of Samjhana Laboratory. The tournament featured 11 different events.

Senior artist Madan Krishna Shrestha, President of Nepal Olympic Committee Jeevan Ram Shrestha and President of All Nepal Table Tennis Association Chatura Nanda Rajbaidhya among others handed over the prizes to the winners.