KATHMANDU, NOv 27: Deepak Shrestha, a second Dan black belt judo player, is well known for knocking out opponents. Despite suffering from typhoid, Deepak knocked out two opponents to secure first position in the final round selection for the 11th South Asian Games (SAG) earlier this month.
He has almost recovered and is preparing for the SAG in a closed camp training. Nepal´s medal hope in judo rests largely on him as he is the only experienced player in a squad of seven judokas representing Nepal.
During the 10th SAG in Colombo, Sri Lanka two years ago, he could have won a medal if he had not taken the matches lightly after knocking out a Pakistani opponent. “He played well and was leading in three matches but lost in the end due to careless mistakes and overconfidence,” coach Rajesh Karmacharya said.
Now, Deepak said, he has learnt lessons from his defeats and assured not to repeat the mistakes. The only challenge Deepak feels is from Indian players, one of whom defeated him in Colombo before he could score any point. He added that competing with Indian judoka Ramashray Yadav -- silver medalist of Asian Championship -- in under 73 kg category will be tough.
According to judo coaches, Indian players are far ahead of Nepali players. Deepak, however, is optimistic about putting up a good show against India this time. “It is the inferiority complex that leads us to defeat when it comes to Indian players,” he said. “If we can overcome the fear we definitely can win.”
Dal Bahadur Gurung, a judo coach, believed except India, all other South Asian players are on equal footing.
Other players selected for the SAG are Parshuram Chaudhary (below 60 kg), Ramesh Magar (below 66 kg), Shree Ram Makaju (below 81 kg), Raju Shrestha (below 90 kg), Kaluman Tamang (below 100 kg) and Rajan Joshi (above 100 kg).
Among those, only five will be allowed to participate as of the new SAG ruling. Two weight categories in women´s section have been added recently for which the selection will be held after three weeks, according to Karmacharya.
Gurung said that experienced players lost motivation after judo was excluded from the 8th and 9th editions of SAG. “There are fewer players and they do not go through many layers of filter to get selected,” he added. “This is a disadvantage.”
Senior volunteer of JICA and judo instructor Masahiro Maeda, currently instructing Nepali judokas, said lack of physical strength and inadequate knowledge of basic steps are hindering the performance of players.
“There were no Japanese instructors for a long time in Nepal so the techniques are not good enough, but the players are working hard and can compete in the regional level,” said Maeda.
National Sports Council´s (NSC) judo coach Birendra Ranjit said the players are training in closed camp which is very short as compared to other countries. “Foreign players train for a year at least,” Ranjit said, adding that the main objective of the closed-camp training is to isolate players so they can concentrate.
“The closed camp is to make the players free from tensions,” he opined and added, “Here, they more tensed because they don´t get paid enough to meet their families´ basic needs.”
NSC provides Rs 600 for a player each day for diet and lodging, including Rs 100 as pocket money.
The few months of closed camp has become monotonous to the players but Ranjit argues that it is essential to keep them in camp in order to maintain a strict routine.
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