Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed inaugurated the biggest 10-day long South Asian sporting events while South Asian Football Federation´s President and former captain of Bangladeshi football team Kaji Salloudin lit the games´ torch. Balloons and magpie robins (national bird and the mascot of the games) were flown in the sky before colorful performances began. [break]
More than 15 thousand school children and volunteers participated in the cultural shows. The cultural performance reflected Olympics theme as well as patriotism among Bangladeshi people. Likewise, the performances showcased Bangladesh´s varied traditions.
The stadium was full of colors. The performers in the north east parapet of the Banga Bandhu Stadium created different pictures by placards. They created collage of history, culture and national heroes in those pictures.
The performance on the ground and the parapets marked the slogans like "welcome to the 11th SAG Bangladesh", "Unity in diversity", etc.
Though the inaugural program halted for ´Namaj´ for 10 minutes, it continued with the laser lights floating, water fountain running and beautiful fireworks.
Nepali volleyball team captain Bharat Shah raised the Nepali flag during the opening ceremony of the 11th South Asian Games.
Bharat was leading all Nepali athletes during the march-pass. Shah is 41 years old and this is the fifth time he is participating in the South Asian Games.
Bharat represents Nepal Police Club and is from the remote district of Achham.
Bangladesh have tightened the security and deployed around one thousand security-personnel for the game.
Bangladesh are hosting the SAG for the third time in the Games´ history. Bangladesh hosted the second edition in 1985 and the sixth edition of the games in 1993.
As many as 1,793 athletes from the eight South Asian countries will vie for the 158 gold medals in 23 different games. Two hundred and seventy eight Nepali players are participating in the 11th SAG and competing for 123 gold. Host Bangladesh has the highest of 332 athletes participating in the competition while 320 Indian athletes are competing in the events. Bhutan has only 49 players. Likewise, 286 Pakistani, 308 Sri Lankan, 119 Afghani and 101 Maldivian athletes are also participating in the South Asian competition.
Bangladesh have arranged 22 different venues for the 10-day long event.
Nepal take on hosts in men´s football
Nepal will take on hosts Bangladesh in men´s football on Saturday at the Banga Bandhu Stadium, Dhaka during the 11th South Asian Games.
Nepal are slated in group A for the SAG men´s football event where they meet Bangladesh, Bhutan and the Maldives. Nepal are taken as strong contenders in the group. Maldives will take on Bhutan in the same group.
Likewise, Nepal will take on India in hockey at the Moulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium on Saturday.
Suzuki bikes for SAG medalists
The authorized dealer of Suzuki on Thursday announced to provide bikes to Nepali medal winners in the 11th South Asian Games in athletics. This is the highest prize announced from the private sector for the SAG players so far.
Amar Raj Rajkarnikar, the managing director of Ganesh Enterprizes which is the authorized dealers of Suzuki in Nepal, made the announcement during a farewell organized for athletics players on Thursday.
Rajkarnikar handed over gears worth Rs 350,000 to the players and said they will provide GSR 150cc bikes to gold medalists in men´s category and Suzuki 125 cc disk brake and Suzuki 125 cc drum brake bikes to silver and bronze medalists, respectively.
In the women´s section, the gold, silver and bronze medalists will receive different models of Suzuki scooters.
Altogether 17 men and seven women are participating in athletics in the 11th SAG.
Jumbo team ´a shame´
Nepal´s jumbo team comprising of unnecessary officials for the 11th South Asian Games (SAG) has become a shame for the nation, said National Sports Council (NSC) member Min Krishna Maharjan.
Nepal´s 479-member team for SAG has outsized even the Indian team after Youth and Sports Minister Ganesh Tiwari Nepali and NSC Member Secretary Hari Babu Chaudhary included people not related to sports in the team. The government has sent some 50 to 60 unnecessary people to Dhaka.
“I´m feeling sad to hear that a jumbo team was sent for the SAG which is against my wishes. I came to know about this shameful act after reading newspapers,” said Maharjan during a farewell organized for athletics players on Friday.
He added, “The 72nd annual meeting of the board had made a landmark decision to break the tradition of sending jumbo team and send a small team this time. A national team committee was also formed to implement the decision and I was also its member, but I feel let down as the jumbo team was sent without giving us any hint."
Speaking at the same function, NSC Vice-president Pitambar Timilsina recalled that the NSC meeting got prolonged by four days when he spoke against sending the jumbo team to Dhaka. He said it was not right to send unassociated people for the SAG without fulfilling any criteria.
Badminton confirms at least two bronze
Nepal confirmed at least two bronze medals in the 11th South Asian Games for badminton on Friday. Both men´s and women´s badminton team received byes in the quarterfinals.
In the six-team men´s event, Nepal were drawn directly in the semifinals against winners of the Saturday´s quarterfinal between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The semifinals will take place on January 2 at the Wooden Floor Gymnasium.
Likewise, Nepali women´s team also had a bye in the quarterfinals in the five-team event. Nepali women will now meet the Indian team.
In badminton the semifinalists secure at least bronze medals.
Sara Devi Tamang, Sujana Shrestha, Pooja Shrestha and Nangsala Devi Tamang complete the women´s team, while Bikash Shrestha, Ratna Jeet Tamang, Kishore Rana, Sajan Krishna Tamrakar, Bishal Pradhan comprise the men´s team.
Success for Nepali women footballers
Nepali women´s football team won their first match during the 11th South Asian Games being held in Dhaka.
Nepal defeated hosts Bangladesh 1-0 in the match played at the Kamalpur Stadium. Jamuna Gurung scored the sole goal in the match in the 35th minute of the game.
Nepal will take on Sri Lanka in the second game on February 2, India in the third game on February 4 and Pakistan on February 6 during the league stage of the competition.
Earlier, India beat Sri Lanka 8-1 in the first match. Moirangthem scored the first hat-trick in the football event of the Games.
India dominated from the outset of the match and created more chances but managed to score only two goals before the 1st half.
In the second half, India established a total domination over Sri Lanka and added another six goals.
Sri Lanka got their only goal direct from a free kick.
Women´s football event is included for the first time in the South Asian Games.
Basketball, kabaddi teams off to Dhaka
Nepali basketball team and kabaddi teams left for Bangladesh on Friday to participate in the South Asian Games (SAG).
The 15-member basketball team consists of 12 players, two coaches and a manager. Dinesh Chandra Nakarmi and Nagendra Paudel Chhetri are the coaches and Narendra Thapa, senior vice president of Nepal Basketball Association is the team manager.
Skoda Fabia (auto company) will award motorbikes to all members of the basketball team if they win gold.
Similarly, a 30-member men´s and women´s kabbadi team also left to participate in the SAG.
The team consists of 12 men and women players each, four coaches and two officials. Bimal Pokhrel and Ray Narayan Rai are the men´s team coaches and Chandra Kanta Jha is the manager. Similarly, Santa Singh and Tara Singh Bhat are women´s coaches while Bishnu Prasad Lohani is the manager.
National Sports Council (NSC) Vice-president Pitambar Timilsina, among others, bade farewell to the team on the NSC premises. MAW motor of Skoda Fabia drove the basketball team to the airport.
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