Kathmandu, March 10:

Nagarjun Rotary Club (NRC) awarded U-19 cricketers, two Olympians and an athletics coach at a felicitation programme here on Friday. Crown Prince Paras, who is also the patron of National Sports Council, presented the awards.

Skipper Kanishka Chaugain, Basanta Regmi and Mahesh Chhetri — members of the Nepali U-19 cricket team that won the Plate Championship in the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka last month — were awarded with a Pulsar motorcycles each while other 11 members got Rs 10,000 each. Coach Roy Luke Dias and assistant coach Shankar Rana were also felicitated on the occasion.

The three cricketers were outstanding with their performances getting places in the ICC’s top 10 rankings. Skipper Chaugain was seventh in the most run-getters’ list with 234 runs including two half centuries, while Regmi was eighth in the highest wicket-takers’ list with 12 scalps at an average of 16.25 and Chhetri was fourth in wicketkeeping with 12 dismissals — nine stumpings and three catches.

The NRC also presented Rs 25,000 each to the two Olympians — Tribhuvan Army Club athlete Rajendra Bhandari and swimmer Alice Shrestha — who broke national records in the Athens Olympics last year.

Bhandari had set the new record of 14:04.89 in 5,000m race, while Shrestha had broken the 100m breast stroke record. Athletics coach Puspa Raj Ojha also received a cash prize of Rs 5,000. NSC general secretary Kishor B Singh was also present on the occasion.