Shrestha beats Singh

KATHMANDU: Bikash Shrestha of the Maize Snooker claimed the 9-Ball Pool Tournament organised by Fun World Nepal Recreation Centre here today. Shrestha defeated Suraj Singh of the Exclusive Snooker 11-6 in the final. The winner received Rs 10,000 and the runners Rs 5,000. The losing semi-finalists Shishir Gurung and Rajan Lama also won Rs 1,500 each. The only lady participant among the 64 contestants from 17 Pool and Snooker Houses, Sangeeta Thapa, was presented with a trophy. GM of the Recreation Centre Bharat Kumar Shakya gave away the prizes. — HNS

Players felicitation

BHAKTAPUR: The people of Bhaktapur is organising a felicitation programme to honour the players of the district — who won medals at the 10th South Asian Games in Sri Lanka last month. Public rally has been planned in the city on Friday before the felicitation programme at the Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Players from the district bagged 10 medals — a gold, two silver and seven bronze in Colombo. A felicitation committe has also been formed under the chairmanship of Prakash Ghimire. — HNS

NLSJA formed

KATHMANDU: A group of sports journalists formed a nine-member Nepal Loktantrik Sports Journalists’ Association (NLSJA) under the presidentship of Chetan Pandey on Thursday. Narayan Upadhayaya is the vice president and Nabin Aryal is the general secretary of the committee. Dinesh Jung Shah is the secretary and Umesh Ojha treasurer. Among the members are Nimesh Adhikari, Balmukunda Nepal, Kumar Raut and Som Nath Lamichhane. There already exist another sports journalists’ association with the name of Nepal Sports Journalists Forum (NSJF). — HNS

Rodolfo Bodipo out

MADRID: Deportivo La Coruna striker Rodolfo Bodipo will be sidelined for six to eight months after tearing a cruciate ligament in his right knee, news reports said on Thursday. Bodipo, who is in his first season with Deportivo, sustained the injury during a friendly on Wednesday with minor-league side Laracha. Deportivo paid Alaves an estimated $2.5 million for the Equatorial Guinea international in June. The 28-year-old was one of the club’s 16 acquisitions during the offseason. — AP

Amir Khan in court

BOLTON: British boxer Amir Khan appeared in court on charges of dangerous driving on Thursday. Khan, who turned pro after winning a silver medal in the lightweight division at the 2004 Athens Olympics, is accused of hitting a pedestrian with his car in Bolton on March 2. Khan spoke only to confirm his name and address in the brief appearance at Bolton Magistrates’ Court. His case was set for trial in Bolton Crown Court starting November 3. — AP

Hincapie alone to stay

PARIS: The Discovery Channel is parting ways with several riders who helped Lance Armstrong win one or more of his seven straight Tour de France titles. Portuguese climber Jose Azevedo, Manuel Beltran of Spain, Viatcheslav Ekimov of Russia, two-time Giro d’Italia champion Paolo Savoldelli of Italy and Benoit Joachim of Luxembourg are among the 11 cyclists leaving the team. George Hincapie of the United States, long considered Armstrong’s key teammate, is staying, however. — AP