The Nepal Sports Council (NSC) has made public names of players selected for various events in the forthcoming South Asian Games (SAG).

With a small budget but aiming high; less resources but spirits high, NSC member secretary Jeevan Ram Shrestha was ecstatic to say Nepal will clinch the third position in the up-coming South Asian Games (SAG) despite being allocated less budget by the government.

Shrestha was also proud to say he will bring glory back home with Nepal performing splendidly in Colombo. However, Shrestha was still confused with less budget allocation and was trying to talk to Ministry of Education and Sports for budget increment.

3rd is our target

The medal tally for the Nepalese contingent in the SAG almost seems barren in comparison with other south Asian countries but Shrestha was optimistic. Shrestha said that the council was aiming for gold medals in Taekwondo, Karate, Boxing, Weightlifting, Squash, Athletics and football. “We are hopeful of coming in third,” declared Shrestha.

211 Athletes in Colombo

Excluding Cycling, Nepal is taking part in 18 disciplines at the 10th SAG to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka from August 18-28.

The last date of submitting player names is July 28.

The mascot for the 10th SAG.
The mascot for the 10th SAG.
Then Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai had declared special package for those medal winning players in the 8th SAF Games held in Kathmandu in 1999, which had resulted 32 gold medals, a record in the Nepalese sports history. But this time, neither the government nor the NSC has declared any special package for winners. But NSC has said that special training programs will be arranged for those players who win medals in the SA Games.

Events and Players

Archery: Kishor Kumar Gurung, Deepak Raj Gurung, Ramesh Bhattachan, Prem Chochang.

Boxing: Surya Bahadur Rana (48kg), Anil Prasad Dahal (51kg), Mahesh Rijal (54kg), Purna Bahadur Lama (57kg), Dipendra Maharjan (60kg), Sushil Ghimire (64kg), Anil Gurung (69kg), Bikash Pariyar (75kg), Bishnu Prasad Rijal (81kg).

Badminton: Men — Balram Thapa, Pashupati Paneru, Ram Singh Chaudhary, Indra Mahata, Anil Lakhe; Women — Sumina Shrestha, Sara Devi Tamang, Samjhana Khaling, Neri Thapa, Srijana Shrestha

Volleyball: Men — Prem Bahadur Bhandari, Pashupati Chaudhary, Saroj Shrestha, Kailash Datta Bhatta, Deep Bahadur Khadka, Sanjaya Aryal, Bharat Bahadur Shah, Keshav Pandey, Ram Chandra Kumal, Gyan Bahadur Malla, Bala Bahadur Shrestha, Krishna Serchan; Women — Binita Budhathoki, Laxmi Gurung, Manju Gurung, Akina Gurung, Moti Kumari Bhat, Sipora Gurung, Nita Kumari Shah, Nima Shrestha, Anju Shrestha, Kopila Upreti, Chuda Kumari Khadka, Nani Tamang.

Athletics: Men — Rajendra Bhandari (5,000m, 3,000m steeplechase), Arjun Kumar Basnet marathon), Gyan Bahadur Bohara (5,000m), Prem Bahadur Mahat (800m, 1,500m), Arjun Prasad Dhakal (marathon), Dhirendra Jung Thapa (javelin throw), Akkal Bahadur Bohara (10,000m), Bal Krishna Chaudhary (high jump), Yam Bahadur Pudasaini (10,000m), Gopal KC (100m), Tika Ram Tharu (400m hurdles, 400m). Women — Chandra Kala Thapa (100m, 4X400m relay), Kanchi Maya Koju (5,000m, 10,000m, 4X400m relay), Nirmala Bharati (10,000m, 4X400m relay), Chhaya Khatri (800m, 1,500m, 4X400m relay), Sabitri Nepali ((800m, 4X400m relay).

Weightlifting: Kamal Bahadur Adhikari (62kg), Rakesh Ranjit (69), Raju Rana (77), Gyan Bahadur Shrestha (85), Puntilal Yadav (94), Brijendra Bikram Shah (105), Bipendra Maharjan (above 105kg).

Swimming: Men — Sailesh Rana (butterfly), Alice Shrestha (breaststroke), Om Bahadur Kumal (free style), Kisimlal Tharu (backstroke); Women — Shaila Rana (backstroke), Bibidha Rimal (breaststroke), Nayana Shakya (butterfly), Karishma Karki (free style).

Wushu: (Thaulo) Pancha Man Maharjan, Bhuwan Shrestha, Gautam Dangol, Bina Khadka, Macha Ratna Maharjan, Rukmani Thapa Magar; (San-Shou) Raj Kumar Rasaili (48-52kg), Yuvraj Gurung (52-56kg), Beg Bahadur Pandey (56-65kg), Shyam Bista (60-65kg), Dhanbir Maharjan (65-70kg), Bhusan Bajracharya (70-75kg).

Shooting: Men — Asim Yadav, Chanas Rai, Krishna Ghorasaini (air rifle), Sudan Khadka, Badaruddin Ansari, Uddav Bikram Shah (air pistol); Women — Phul Maya Kyapachhaki, Bhagawati Karki, Asmita Rai (air rifle), Sangita Gurung, Saraswati Baniya, Nista Poudel (air pistol).

Judo: Men — Devendra Karmacharya (60kg), Subrat Shrestha (66kg), Dipak Shrestha (73kg), Karan Bahadur Bam (81kg), Khem Bahadur Magar (90kg), Rajendra Shrestha (100kg); Women — Radha Devi Rai (48kg), Ranju Rai (52kg), Indira Rai (57kg), Devu Thapa (63kg).

Squash: Men — Hira Bahadur Thapa, Chhabilal Paija Pun, Anil Singh, Prajwal Pradhan; Women — Bhawana Sunuwar, Kshitij Gurung, Krishna Thapa, Manida Shahi.

Wrestling: Muktar Alam (55kg), Modan Yadav (60kg), Bunilal Yadav (66kg), Pralhad Yadav 84), Barmaid Yadav (96), Dharma Yadav (20kg).

Karate: Men — Rabindra Dahal (50kg), Ram Limbu (55kg), Deepak Shrestha (60kg), Kasha Shrestha (65kg), Bikram Mace (70kg), Nero Karmacharya (75kg), Binod Shakya (80kg), Ram Shoran Twit (80+kg), Ganga Ram Maharjan (single kata), Nor Bahadur Moktan, Kedar Simkhada, Ganesh Bahadur Thing, Purnaman Balami (team kata); Women — Krishna Kala KC (48kg), Amrita Shakya (53kg), Sulochana Sinjakho (single kata), Subhadra Shrestha, Roji Nagarkoti, Sangita Dangol, Remika Rai (team kata).

Taekwondo: Men — Kumar Manandhar, Amar Raj Lama, Ram Sharan Chaudhary, Ganesh Bahadur Khadka, Pitambar Upreti, Deepak Bista, Ghana Shyam Khadka, Sunil Singh; Women — Yan Kumari Chaulagain, Sangina Baidya, Padma Gurung, Manita Shahi, Ayesha Shakya.

Table Tennis: Men — Rabindra Shakya, Rajendra Kapali, Sushil Poudyal, Gopal Maharjan, Shiva Sundar Gothe; Women — Muna Basukala, Sandhya Shakya, Gita Magar, Swechhya Nembang, Rita Prajapati.

Kabaddi: Men — Lachidhan Adhikari, Sanjaya Shrestha, Kebal Raut, Lok Bahadur Ayer, Saroj Kumar Singh, Mahendra Bahadur Sunar, Prem Bahadur Thapa, Motilal Mahato, Dambar Bahadur Maduwal, Bikash Shrestha, Gyasuddin Mansur, Arbind Kumar Jha; Women — Netra Kumari Thapa, Sangita Gautam, Minu Kumari Gurung, Gita Kunwar, Punam Karki, Sanjana Tamang, Rukmani Chand, Nirmala Bista, Khageshwori Rawal, Sita Laxmi Manandhar.

Football: Sagar Thapa, Ritesh Thapa, Sangeet Kumar Rajak, Lok Bandhu Gurung, Janak Singh, Anjan KC, Rishikesh Rai, Sandip Rai, Mansajan Rajbhandari, Vijay Gurung, Vishan Gauchan, Pradeep Maharjan, Raju Tamang, Anil Gurung, Jeevan Sinkeman, Prashant Giri, Santosh Shahukhala, Yugal Kishor Rai, Jumanu Rai, Arjun Rijal, Mani Kumar Pandit, Nirajan Khadka, Samit Rajbhandari, Santosh Gurung, Bhola Silwal, Jibesh Pandey. (Final 20 players will be selected later) nepalnews.com Bikram Thapa