TAC, APF win Beach Volleyball titles

Pokhara, June 24

Tribhuvan Army Club ‘A’ and Nepal APF Club ‘A’ won the titles of the National Beach Volleyball Tournament here today.

In the final of the seventh edition of men’s section tournament, TAC ‘A’ team of Man Bahadur Shrestha and Dil Kumar Sunar registered a 2-1 victory over Raju BK and Arjun Darlami of Gandaki Province ‘B’. TAC won the first set 21-16 before Gandaki levelled the scores with a 21- 18 victory in the second set.

TAC took the third and final set 18-16 to complete the victory.

Gandaki Province ‘A’ team of Sanju Bikram Shah and Ramesh KC finished third with a 21-17, 23-21 victory over Chandra Kunwar and Toran Chand of Nepal Police Club ‘A’.

Dil Kumar Sunar of TAC was declared the best player of the tournament and he received Rs 3,000. Champions TAC ‘A’ earned Rs 30,000, while runners-up APF got Rs 20,000 and Gandaki ‘A’ pocketed Rs 10,000. A total of 17 teams took part in the tournament.

In the sixth edition of the women’s section tournament, APF ‘A’ team of Binita Budhathoki and Nebika Chaudhary claimed the gold medal with a straight set victory over NPC ‘A’ team of Nita Shah and Kopila Upreti. APF took the first two sets with identical scores of 21-13.

NPC earned some solace when their ‘B’ team of Manisha Chaudhary and Pushpa Chaudhary finished third beating TAC team of Pushpapal Pariyar and Manisha Khand. TAC took the lead with a 21-18 victory in the first set before NPC bounced back strongly to win the next two sets 21-12, 15-12 to complete the victory.

Binita Budhathoki of APF was declared the best player of the tournament and she earned Rs 3,000.

Champions APF ‘A’ received Rs 30,000, while NPC ‘A’ and ‘B’ earned Rs 20,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively. A total of 14 teams took part in the tournament.

Meanwhile, the players of top three teams in both the sections were selected for the 13th South Asian Games slated for December in Kathmandu and Asian Central Zone Beach Volleyball Tournament to be held in the Maldives. According to Nepal Volleyball Association Senior Vice-president and convenor of the selection committee Yam Bahadur Gurung, the players will be kept in camp and final four in both categories will be picked up in due course.

Gandaki Province MP Rajeev Pahari, Nepal Army’s Western Division Chief Maj Gen Kaji Bahadur Basnet and Pokhara Tourism Council President Chiranjibi Pokharel among others handed over the prizes to the winners of the tournament organised by Kaski District Volleyball Association.