Bista, 34, and Shakya, 23, transformed their six-year-long secret affair into a happy landing despite disagreements among their families. The high profile athletes got married at Budhanilkantha temple in the presence of close friends and a handful of relatives.[break]
"We fell in love while training for 2006 South Asian Games," Bista said, adding that he could not remember who proposed first. Bista won gold in the 2006 SAG while Shakya got a silver. Both won gold medals in the 2011 edition of the games, with Bista becoming the first player to win four consecutive golds in SAG.
Disclosing the reason behind keeping their affair secret, the couple said: "We did not want our affair to hamper our career, so we kept it a secret. Many players and officials were aware of the relatonship."
Families of both the players were against the marriage as it was an inter-caste affair. "They wanted us to marry within our caste," Bista said. "We both belong to Nepali cast so we decided to get married anyway," Bista added. "We are capable of making decisions for ourselves and we will prove that we made a right decision by becoming exemplary couple."
Shakya eloped with Bista on Friday evening and spent a night at his uncle´s house preparing for the marriage ceremony. "Right from the beginning we wished to marry in a temple and give a grand party later," Bista said.
The couple is planning to visit Bista´s ancestral house in Kailali district soon.
"As happy as winning a gold medal in SAG," Shakya commented. "I am happy to get married with my beloved. Both are my dream come true moments." She also hoped that her parents would ultimately respect her decision.
Bista, with four SAG golds and two Asian Games broznes on his shelf, is considering retirement owing to injuries. "My playing career is almost over due to knee injuries," he said. "But she will play."
He added that he would give every kind of support his wife needs to succeed in her aim of winning Asian Games medal and qualifying for the Olympics. So far, only two Nepali athletes, Bista and Sangina Vaidya have qualified for the Olympics.
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