Kathmandu, September 21:

Deepak Bista and Manita Shahi — who won gold medals at the 10th South Asian Games in Colombo last month — got direct qualification for the forthcoming 15th Asian games (Asiad) to be held in Doha in December.

On the second day of the selection tournament organised by the Nepal Taekwondo Association at the Mahendra Police Club hall, Yam Kumari Chaulagain defeated Bima Rai

in the Fin weight category. Rai competed in the 10th SAG after Chaulagain was forced to pull out at the last moment due to Jaundice. Out of the five women participants, Rai was the only one to return emptyhanded.

In the Fly weight category, Padma Gurung, who won a silver medal in Bantam weight category in Colombo, outplayed Nitu Shrestha. Another silver medallist Ayesha Shakya (Feather weight) and Abina Rai (Bantam weight) were selected on Wednesday. Manita Shahi will fight in Light weight category.

In men’s section, Deepak Bista, who completed a hat-trick of gold medals by winning the gold in Colombo in the Welter weight, silver medallist Kumar Manandhar (Fin), Yam Bahadur Pun (Fly), Sanjeev Pradhan (Bantam) and Ramesh Shrestha (Light) were selected for the Asiad.

Of the four other SAG participants Ram Sharan Chaudhary (Bantam weight) and Ganesh

Bahadur Khadka (Feather weight) did not participate in the selection tournament, while Pitambar Upreti (Light weight) and Amar Lama (Fly weight) lost their bouts.

Players from all the five development regions, Mahendra Police Club, Armed Police Force, and national players competed in the two-day tournament. According to the NTA, the selected 10 players, who will be kept under closed camp from Friday, will be sent to Korea for special training.