Sports Briefs
Sujendra takes lead
KATHMANDU: Sujendra Prasad Shrestha stunned former Nepal champion Punya Man Karmacharya and FIDE Master Manish Hamal on the third day of the Makhan Rating Chess Tournament on Wednesday. After the fifth round, Sujendra lead the table with 4.5 points. Sujendra defeated Punya Man in the fourth round and sidelined FIDE Master Hamal in the fifth. Hamal and Punya Man share the second place with Naveen Tandukar, Ganesh Man Duwal and Sajan Pandey with four points. National women champion Monalisha Khumbu also upset former Nepal champion Surbir Lama.
Judokas off to India
KATHMANDU: Thirteen judo players on Wednesday left for Jaipur to participate in the Rajeev Gandhi International Judo Championship slated for February 22-23. Saroj Maharjan (60kg), Devendra Karmacharya (66kg), Raj Bahadur Chand (73kg), Shriram Makaju (81kg), Naresh Giri (90kg) and Allen Maharjan (100kg) will compete in men’s section. Sushila Adhikari (48kg), Sarita Chaudhary (52kg), Ranju Rai (57kg), Phupuluma Khatri (63kg), Indira Rai (70kg), Sunita Bohara (78kg) and Ganga Chaudhary (open) will represent Nepal in the women’s section