SPORTS BRIEFS: Nepal to host U-14 qualifiers

KATHMANDU, March 30: Nepal is all set to host the Group C qualifiers of the AFC U-14 Football Championship 2014 from Tuesday, the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) said in a press statement on Saturday. According to ANFA, the U-14 national football teams of Bhutan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Nepal will compete in the five-day tournament to be held in Kathmandu. The football governing body of Nepal has also finalized the list of the 21 players of the U-14 squad.



The selected players are Aashish KC, Abhishek Rijal, Suraj Thapa, Susaan Shrestha, Anosh Magar, Ashim Rai, Dorje Tamang, Jitesh Gurung, Sojit Gurung and Sujan Karki. [break]Likewise, the other players included in the national team are Kailash Basnet, Kshitiz Khadka, Kshitiz Raj G T, Laxman Pariyar, Manish Bahadur Karki, Mingma Tenzing Sherpa, Pawan Karki, Prezen Tamang, Roman Limbu, Rumesh Bartaula and Sangam Thapa Magar.



Rock climbing held in capital



KATHMANDU: Shyam Bista of Nepal Army, mountaineer Asha Kumari Singh and Hareram Khadka won different titles on Saturday in the Sixth National Sports Climbing Championship held in the capital under Mountain Sports Festival. Bista of Army secured first position in the top rope section coming ahead of Prakash Shrestha of Nepal Scout. Raju Rai finished third. Khadka won the title under lead climbing.



Anup Gurung and Pasang Tendi Sherpa came second and third. Under women´s section Asha Kumrai Singh came ahead of Ning Doma Sherpa to secure the title. Yangdi Sherpa came on third position. The top three finishers of all sections bagged Rs 20,000, Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively. Altogether 93 climbers had competed in the event organized by Nepal Sports Climbing Association.



Former champions Shrestha, Lama crash out



KATHMANDU: Former national champions Keshav Shrestha and Surbir Lama crashed out from the first round of knockout stage during the Lalitpur Festival First Co-operative Cup Chess Tournament on Saturday in the capital. Shrestha, playing with white pieces, lost to Singheshwar Das of Rajbiraj. He had earlier shared points playing with black pieces against Das.



Lama lost to Madan Krishna Kayastha in sudden death as the winner advanced into the pre-quarterfinals. Niraj Niraula, Nabin Tandukar, Manish Hamal, Badrilal Nepali, Krishna Thapa, Ganeshman Duwal, Rajendra Bajracharya, Rabindra Shakya, Bishwabijay Ghimire, Prachandaman Malakar, Purnaraj Khadka, Shyam Sundar Shrestha, Rajan Puri, among others, also secured berths in the pre-quarterfinals.

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