Nepal champion and FIDE Master Manish Hamal, former Nepal champion Badri Lal Nepali, Keshav Shrestha, U-19 national champion Rupesh Jaiswal, Surbir Lama and Krishna Thapa shared the lead after the seventh round as they all acquired 5.5 points each so far. [break]
Hamal played a draw with Niraj Niraula in the sixth round and defeated veteran Rajendra Prasad Shrestha in the seventh.
Nepali drew with Jaiswal and Thapa in the sixth and seventh round. Jaiswal drew with former national champion Nabin Tandukar while Thapa edged past Milan Roka in the sixth round.
Keshav Shrestha beat Prem Krishna Maharjan and Madan Krishna Kayastha on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Surbir Lama edged past Bibek Lama and played a draw against Kayastha on Wednesday.
Qatar Airways Open Golf to tee off on Friday
KATHMANDU: Qatar Airways has decided to organize the Qatar Airways Open Golf Tournament at Gokarna Golf Club on Friday and Saturday. Qatar Airways organized a press conference on Wednesday and informed about the sponsorship of the amateur event.
According to Deepak Acharya, senior golf director at Gokarna, the tournament will be played over 18 holes, on a stableford format with ¾ handicap allowance. "About 100 golfers including men, women, senior and junior golfers will vie for the title from all the golfing fraternity of Nepal," said Acharya.
According to Acharya, ladies and junior golfers will be playing the event on Friday whereas others will play on Saturday. Main winner and ladies winner will receive a ticket from Qatar Airways to Doha or Dubai while there are other prizes also.
“Qatar Airways is committed to sports events in Nepal and we are proud to be associated with golf and Gokarna Forest Resort. I am confident that this association and the size of the tournament will grow in the years to come,” said Ramdas Shivram, the country manager of Qatar Airways.
NBFA rewards medalists
KATHMANDU: Nepal Bodybuilding and Fitness Association (NBFA) rewarded medalists of the Ninth South Asian Bodybuilding Championship with cash incentives amidst a function in the capital on Wednesday. Sachit Pradhan had clinched gold medal in men´s 60kg weight category of the championship held in India earlier this month while Ram Bahadur Dahal had claimed silver medal in the tournament. It was the third South Asian medals of Pradhan as he had won gold medals in 2000 and 2010 earlier. National Sports Council Member Secretary Yuvaraj Lama handed over Rs 15,000 to Pradhan and Rs 10,000 to Dahal in reward.
Balaju Dojo clinches title
KATHMANDU: Balaju Dojo clinched the title of the Second Thamel Tourism Cup Invitation Karate and Kickboxing Championship on Wednesday. Balaju won nine gold, three silver and two bronze medals to become the team champion. Bhaktapur Dojo claimed five gold, three silver and four bronze medals to secure second position in the championship organized by Nepal Shitoryu Karate Association, Thamel Dojo. Meanwhile, the organizers felicitated Karateka Deepak Shrestha, who has won two gold medals in the Eighth and Ninth edition of the South Asian Games, for his success. Shrestha received certificate and Rs 10,000 cash incentive.
Army, APF dominate road race
KATHMANDU: Nepal Army and Armed Police Force (APF) athletes on Monday clean swept men´s 10 km and women´s 5 km road race organized by Metropolitan Police Commissioner´s Office. Army Athlete Kalyan Baniya clocked 30 minutes 19.32 seconds to claim gold coming ahead of his colleagues Letter Singh Khatri and Krishna Basnet. Khatri finished the distance in 30 minutes 21.96 seconds and Basnet took 30 minutes 29.60 second to finish third. Kanchi Maya Koju (18 minutes 32.59 seconds), Krishneshwari Sintakala (19 minutes 50.64 seconds) and Gita Khatri (20 minutes 24.80 seconds) of the Armed Police Force took home the top three positions respectively.
Athletes of Kathmandu dominated men´s veteran 5 km road race. Ram Krishna Maharjan of clocked 18 minutes 30.60 seconds to secure gold. Mahendra Man Maharjan clocked 18 minutes 49.22 seconds for silver and Buddha Bir Lama came third with the timing of 20 minutes 46.50 seconds. All three athletes are from Kathmandu. The three-day long event is organized on the occasion of the Seventh Metropolitan Police Day. Police Chief Kuber Singh Rana inaugurated the event.
Related story
Macchindra's first loss leaves title race wide open
