ITAHARI, Dec 28: Nepal Police Club's taekwondo player Nischal Man Shrestha was worried about his health before the Seventh National Games.

The gold medalist of the Sixth National Games was forced to take a timeout from his playing career for a year soon after the biggest domestic sports festival. But after going through rehabilitation, he came back to the court. However he was still bothered about his health issue until his arrival in Itahari to take part in the Seventh National Games. But he didn't face anything like that during the competition as he won gold medal on Wednesday in men's 74 kg event of taekwondo defeating Gyanendra Hamal of Tribhuvan Army club. 

“When I was out of the court due to back problem, I was very frustrated and had even started thinking that I would never play again. But I resumed playing after completing rehabilitation. However, I was still bothered about the issue before coming to take part in the Seventh National Games,” said Nischal Man, adding, “However I didn't face injury setback and as a result I won the gold medal.”

The bronze medal of the event went to APF's Bharat Bohara. 

Taekwondo, which concluded on Wednesday, saw champion Army wining 11 golds including three on Wednesday while Police bagged four golds. Army won two silvers and one bronze while Police bagged five silvers and one bronze. Another departmental team APF grabbed one gold and eight bronze medals. Central Region won five bronze and silver medals each while three silvers and bronzes went to Western Region. Likewise, home team Eastern Region bagged seven bronzes and Far-Western Region won one silver and five bronzes while Mid-Western Region was limited to two bronze medals. 

On the last day of the event held in Itahari, Ram Datta Bhatta won gold in men's U-80 kg event for Army defeating Bibek Shrestha of Central Region in the final. Rajkumar Majhi of Eastern Region and Mid-Western Region's Jay Prakash Khatbe bagged bronzes. 

In the men's U-63 kg event, Police's Thir Bahadur Mahara claimed gold while Kiran Bahadur Ale of Western Region bagged silver and bronze went to Armyman Naubalak Chaudhary and APF's Hira Man Chaudhary. Similarly, Army's Mohammad Baiyash won gold in men's U-68 kg category defeating Police's James Pradhan in the final while Anil Moktan of APF and Nishant Shrestha of Eastern Region bagged bronze. 

In the women's U-67 kg event, Army's Mira Kafle claimed gold while Mausam Karki of Eastern Region won silver and the bronze medals went to Asmita Rijal of Mid-Western Region and APF's Apsara Karki.  

 
• nischal man shrestha
 
• seventh national games