KATHMANDU, May 22: A nine-member Nepali judo team is heading for Hong Kong on Tuesday to take part in the Asian Judo Championships scheduled to be held there from May 25 to 27.

South Asian Games gold medalist Phupu Lhamu Khatri (U-63 kg) is among the seven players to compete in the event dubbed as the 'Olympics of judo'.

Coach Prithvi Alok says that the tournament is a top-level competition as it features world champions from Japan and other Asian nations that have dominated judo in the international stage.

“We are hopeful of a good show as four of our players have recently returned from Hungary after a month-long training from world-class coaches,” said Alok during a farewell function organized by Nepal Judo Association at the National Sports Council on Monday.

Other members of the team include Mohan Sunuwar (U-81 kg), Sanjit Dangol (U-73 kg), Indra Shrestha (U-66 kg) and Kiran Gadel (U-60 kg) in the men's section and Lila Adhikari (U-52 kg) and Manita Shrestha Pradhan (U-57 kg) in the women's section.

Nepal Judo Association's Vice President Deepak Acharya is the team manager while NJA President Deepak Harsha Bajracharya is already in Hong Kong to attend the Judo Congress, according to office secretary of NJA. 

Judo coach Surya Narayan Shrestha believes that the Nepali players can advance in the tournament if they get a favorable draw. 

“Japan, Korea and Mongolia are tough teams. But if we face fellow South Asian competitors, we can easily advance.  Irrespective of the opponents we face, our players will be putting up good show owing to the foreign training we have sent them for,” said coach Shrestha.

Training in Hungary had helped Phupu become the first female player of Nepal to win gold medal in the South Asian Games held in India last year. This time, three more players - Kiran, Manita and Indra - were sent to Hungary for training. Coach Shrestha says that the players have demonstrated improved performance after exposure to international training.
The Nepali team will return back on May 28. 

NJA vice president elected mayor of Kirtipur
Nepal Judo Association Vice President Ramesh Maharjan has been elected as the mayor of Kirtipur Municipality. CPN-UML candidate Maharjan defeated his nearest rival Raj Kumar Nakarmi of Nepali Congress by 745 votes in the May 14 local level elections.

Maharjan garnered 7360 votes while Nakarmi secured 6615 votes. 

Maharjan is also the president of Nepal Deaf and Blind Para Judo Association. Under the initiative of Maharjan, the association had set up Nepal's first judo academy for blind at Laboratory School Kirtipur, last year. 

NJA General Secretary Dharma Kumar Shrestha believes that Maharjan's rise to the post of mayor will be a great boost for the development of sports in the Valley. 

“He used to be a judo player himself and has contributed a lot to the sports sector. He has also played an efficient role in management of judo in Nepal,” said Shrestha. 

Fifty-one-year old Maharjan, who joined politics since his school days says he plans to develop one playground in each ward of Kirtipur Municipality.

“I  have been involved in politics since 39 years and I have spent almost equal time in sports. My slogan for now is: One sports ground for every ward,” said Maharjan.

 
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