Judokas return

KATHMANDU: The Nepali judo team that participated at the 11th South Asian Games including the bronze medallists, Debu Thapa (below 63kg), Radha Devi Rai (below 52kg), Rajan Joshi (above 100kg) and Deepak Krishna Shrestha (below 73kg), returned home on Wednesday. National Sports Council (NSC) acting member secretary Samim Miya Ansari among others welcomed the team. Ansari also announced Debu a cash bounty of Rs 50,000 from the NSC and Rs 25,000 from himself. Debu was among the nine victims of the lift mishap at the Imperial Hotel in Dhaka on January 29. Despite the injury she sustained during the mishap, Debu brought home a bronze medal. As per the NSC decision, the individual event bronze medallists will receive Rs 100,000 each.

Maharjan resigns

KATHMANDU: The Nepal Karate Federation (NKF) senior vice-president Min Krishna Maharjan on Wednesday resigned from his post following the failure of the NKF to lobby for the 11th SAG participating karatekas. The NKF failed to take the 15 players to the regional meet after the SAG organising committee allowed only 10 players to show up in Dhaka. The NKF had selected 15 players for the 10 events in regional meet but the organising committee sent only 10 accreditations. “It is a matter of shame for not succeeding to send the selected karatekas in the regional meet. On moral grounds, I resign as the senior vice-president of the NKF effective from today (Wednesday),” said Maharjan in a resignation letter. Maharjan is also the member of the National Sports Council.

Valley Public, TIA in semis

KATHMANDU: Valley Public and Trungram International Academy (TIA) entered the semi-finals of the Kwik’s Inter-school Girls Basketball Tournament. Samichan Bista netted 12 points as Valley Public outplayed Reliance International Academy 24-6 and TIA beat Mahendra Bhawan 29-18 riding on Anusha Malla’s 20 points. Kantipur School and Teresa also won their respective quarter-final matches to reach last four. Kantipur humiliated Daffodil 35-4 with Ronahi Limbu scoring 16 points. Manju Banu’s 11 points gave Teresa a 28-2 win over Bal Mandir. Teresa will play TIA and Kantipur will take on Valley Public in the semi-finals.