Sports
Departmental sides have held sway in karate events of the ongoing ninth National Games, with the three teams snapping eight gold medals among themselves.
Nepal Police Club emerged on top in karate as they won eight medals, including four gold and two silver.
According to the results till Sunday evening, Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) are second in the karate standings with two gold and two silver and Armed Police Force (APF) hold third place with two gold and three bronze.
In comparison, the performances of seven provinces and NRNA have remained subdued.
Province 1 have two silver and three bronze medals until Sunday, with Bagmati collecting one silver and two bronze. Similarly, home province Gandaki have one silver and one bronze, Lumbini three bronze, with Karnali and Sudurpaschim bagging a bronze medal each.
Soni Rai of Nepal Police won gold in women's 55 kg category, defeating Vidyakala Rai of Province 1 in the final. Anu Gurung of Gandaki and Manisha Chaudhary of APF got bronze.
In the men’s 75kg kumite, Nepal Police’s Gangaram Kushwar overcame the challenge of Pratik Ghartimagar from Gandaki in the final for gold. Roshan Balami from Bagmati and Rurihang Rai from Province 1 took home bronze.
In the women’s 61kg, Anu Adhikari won gold after she beat Armila DC in the all-Nepal Police final. Astar Rai of APF and Raveena Ghartimar of Lumbini bagged bronze.
In the men's 84kg, Biplav Shrestha of Nepal Police won gold, while Bipinrajsingh Dhami of TAC took silver. Bronze medals went to APF karatekas Digambar Prasad Pant and Narayan Bahadur Gurung.
APF dominated the men's team kata, finishing on top of the podium ahead of Nepal Police. Province 1 and Bagmati got bronze medals.
In the women’s individual kata, Nepal Police’s Chanchala Danuwar impressed the judges to take home gold. TAC's Sangeeta Magar won silver, while bronze medals went to Karnali's Alyssa Raskoti and Sudurpaschim's Varsha Saud.
The women’s team kata gold went to TAC with Sunita Magar, Rina Shrestha and Nisha Gharti outscoring Province 1’s Roshma Rai, Samita Rai and Vidyakala Rai in the final. Bagmati's Sanju Deshar, Nanu Shakya and Srijan Mahatara and Nepal Police's Chanchala Danuwar, Saru Karki and Tappi Thapa bagged bronze medals.
In the men’s individual kata, Sonim Manandhar of APF won gold while Rehan Javed of Bagmati took silver. Ashish Magar of Province 1 and Bhai Tamang of Nepal Police Club bagged bronze.
Five more karate medals will be decided on Monday, with final matches lined-up for men's 60kg, women's above 68kg, men's 67kg, women's under 68kg and men's under 84kg weight categories.
