Singh, 19, took the world by surprise when she became the youngest athlete in the 2016 Rio Olympics at 13 years and 255 days.

Moreover, she won four gold medals during the South Asian Games held in December 2019 in Kathmandu.

According to the Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC), Singh will lead the five-member Nepali team in the march past during the opening ceremony.

Nepali Athletes to Participate in Tokyo Olympics 2020

The post Swimmer Gaurika Singh as Nepal’s Flagbearer at 2020 Tokyo Olympics! appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

In line with it, the online platform has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) in a collaborative effort to promote Nepali athletes at the Olympics.

NOC President Jeevan Ram Shrestha and  Daraz MD Lino Ahlering signed the MoU in a special ceremony on the occasion of the “Olympic Day 2021 Commemorative Event” held at NOC, Satdobato. The event was organized by the Sports for All Commission.

The partnership between Daraz and NOC aims to increase Nepali athletes’ visibility at the upcoming Olympics and awareness of the Olympic games in the country.

“It is a great pleasure to be associated with Daraz Nepal for the purpose of promoting the Nepalis Olympians, who shall be participating in Tokyo 2020 Olympic summer games,” NOC President Shrestha.

“NOC with the partnership with Daraz intends to facilitate the Nepalis to watch, be informed, and participate in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics through social media and various other interesting ways,” he added.

Shrestha further informed that promoting the Olympic games in Nepal is the primary goal of the NOC, and partnership with Daraz will play an instrumental role in achieving it.

“I would like to thank Daraz for coming forward for the association with NOC and hope to continue the partnership in the future,” said Shrestha.

Likewise, Daraz MD Ahlering said, “Sports and particularly the Olympic Games with its unique spirit traditionally unites people from all around the world and brings some joy in difficult times like now where COVID-19 has been impacting everyone’s life severely. Therefore, we are proud to be associated with the Olympic Games in Tokyo through this partnership.”

“Excellence, respect, and friendship are the values of the Olympics and also outline what we from Daraz stand for. We are a young and authentic team striving for excellence and disruption in South Asia. We share the vision that anything is possible.”

“On behalf of Daraz, I wish all the Nepali athletes a lot of success during this year’s Olympics,”  he further added.

The 2020 Summer Olympics is scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 8, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. Originally it was scheduled to take place from July 24 to August 9, 2020, but was postponed in March 2020, citing the pandemic. Around 11,091 athletes from almost 205 countries will be participating in the upcoming international multisport event.

Stay Tuned to NepaliSansar for Latest Nepal Sports News!

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The post Online Platform Daraz to Promote Nepal at Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics! appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

His selection to compete in the marathon event in the Olympics is confirmed after he bagged the title of the Marathon held in Nepalgunj, Banke on Saturday.

In the 13th South Asian Games held in Nepal last year, Parki had won a gold medal in the 5,000 meters race.

In the Nepalgunj marathon, Parki completed the 42.195 km race in 2 hr 18 min 59 secs, ahead of 25 athletes. Krishna Basnet of Nepali Army stood second with a timing of 2 hr 20 min 49 secs while Khagendra Bhat, also of Nepali Army, came third with 2 hr 27 min 28 secs.

The winners also received a cash prize of NPR 75,000, NPR 30,000, and NPR 10,000, respectively.

Likewise, in the women’s half marathon, Pushpa Bhandari of APF Club finished first with a timing of 1 hr 26 min 54 secs. She won NPR 30,000 in cash prize.

The Nepal Olympic Committee has canceled qualifying games for the 2021 Olympics and decided to select the winner of the Nepalgunj marathon to represent Nepal in the Olympics.

Stay Tuned to NepaliSasnar for Latest Sports News!

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The post Nepal’s Marathoner Gopichandra to Participate in 2021 Tokyo Olympics! appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Shrestha trumped his competitor Umesh Lal Shrestha by a 7-vote margin to secure the post of the NoC President.

Shreshta’s was elected for the post of the NoC President along with 19 other NoC officials also elected for various posts at the NoC office premises in Satdobato, Lalitpur. However, the process for counting the other officials’ votes is still underway.

The officials were elected in the presence of the International Olympic Committee and Olympic Council of Asia.

The newly-elected President has pledged his commitment to take forward the NoC’s autonomy effectively and playing an important role in the successful organization of the upcoming South Asian Games (SAG).

The new NoC President is also a parliamentarian and is a member of the House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, Ashok Bajracharya, Chatur Nanda Rajvaidhya, Jyoti Rana, Sunil Shrestha and Tej Gurung were elected as the NoC Vice Presidents.

Nilendra Raj Shrestha was elected as the Secretary-General and Pitambar Timsina was elected Deputy Secretary-General.

The post Jeevan Ram Shrestha Reelected as Nepal Olympic Committee President appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

After successful completion of the Asia-Pacific Summit 2018, Nepal is now making plans and is keen about hosting another South Asian event. But this time, its sports, the 13^th South Asian Games (SAG).

The SAG Committee of Nepal, headed by Nepal Sports Minister Jagat Sunwar, said it will be hosting the 2019 South Asia Games in September 2019.

But, it’s the third such announcement by Nepal since the South Asia Olympic Council granted it hosting rights two years ago.

Hurdles for Hosting 13^th South Asian Games

Infrastructure and Bureaucratic Hurdles
The bi-annual sports event, actually scheduled for 2018, underwent three postponements so far because of the severe damage to Nepal sports infrastructure in the 2015 earthquake and delays in the development of the country’s sports facilities.

Even the new date is being termed ‘doubtful’, considering the number of outstanding projects and other challenges that the country is facing.

“There’s a lot of assumptions about the reason behind postponing the event and it’s wrong to put the blame squarely on the poor infrastructure. I can assure you that lack of sporting facility won’t stop us from hosting the event,” says Keshab Kumar Bista, Member Secretary at the National Sports Council (NSC).

Bista points at lengthy bureaucratic process, disputes in the Nepal Olympic Committee and budget allocation by the government as major hurdles for hosting the 13^th SAG 2018.

“Our bureaucratic process consumes a lot of time, mostly with paperwork. All the groups concerned, including sports governing agencies and the Olympic Committee, need to realise that and find a way to fast-track such processes for swiftly releasing the funds,” adds Bista.

According to Bista, the new date will need approval from the South Asia Olympic Council.

“The South Asian body looks at the international sports calendar and then gives priority to the proposal forwarded by the government. But, I believe the event will not go beyond 2019,” says Shrestha, the Nepal Olympic Committee president.

“Hosting events like SAG is a matter of national pride and everyone must be serious to make it happen,” says Nepal Sports Minister.

If everything goes as planned, it will be third time for Nepal in hosting the 13^th South Asian Games after 1984 and 1999.

Stage Not Set!
The country sports authorities had earlier finalized to host the Olympics in Pokhara and Kathmandu.

Nepal’s only international stadium, Dashrath Stadium where the opening and closing ceremonies were planned to be held, was severely damaged in the 2015 earthquake and is still awaiting reconstruction. While the Pokhara Stadium is not operational yet.

This stadium of 30,000 seating capacity is also the country’s most popular tourism destination and was also chosen to host the women’s football.

Bista is hopeful that the stadium will be back to operational state in a couple of months’ time and Nepal will be ready to host the 13^th SAG even without Pokhara Stadium.

“The Armed Police Force’s Halchowk ground, the All Nepal Football Association ground at Satdobato and the Nepal Army ground can be good alternatives to the Pokhara Stadium,” says Bista.

Budget Challenges
While NSC demanded an NPR 2.13 billion this year to develop sports infrastructure, the Finance Ministry has approved only NPR 1.13 billion, making it a cash crunch for the Council to make necessary developments.

We have received around  NPR 2 billion in the last two fiscal years under the heading of infrastructure development. But we still need another  NPR 480 million this fiscal year in addition to  NPR 1 billion the next fiscal,” Bista informed.

According to him, it would cost NPR 7 billion to host the 13^th South Asian Games, purchasing sports equipment, sports gears and around  NPR 250 million for training Nepali athletes for the tournament.

Besides, existence of two Olympic Committees and power struggle between them is another serious hurdle. “Until the Olympic Committee issue is sorted out, we cannot move ahead with our preparations,” Bista adds.

A national footballer Bikram Lama feels that the inconsistency of hosting big sporting events like the South Asian Games has demotivated athletes, causing uncertainty over the country’s capabilities to hold international events.

“The more playing time players get in an event like the South Asian Games, the more athletes will be occupied doing something they love. In the absence of any action, Nepali athletes will have to start mulling their future in sports,” adds Lama.

The post Nepal for 13th South Asian Games in Sept 2019, Hurdles Persist appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Whether it’s young & energetic Gaurika Singh or left-arm spin bowler Sandeep Lamichhane, we know why Nepal is known for what it is!

And with strong backbones like the Nepal Sports Council (NSC) and the respective sports bodies toiling hard to promote various sports in Nepal and produce the rarest of the rare, Nepal is slowly becoming Asia’s pride.

Here is a list of sports that set the Nepali hearts racing with passion and determination:

Handball: With indulgence for both men and women, the engaging sport is picking up popularity in Nepal. The Nepal Handball Association (NHA) has been striving to promote the sport in the country since its membership with the International Handball Federation in 1984. The country has made some exceptional performances in the field of handball. Nepal Women’s Handball team were runners-up for the 5^th South Asian Handball Championship 2018. Read More

Cricket: If anything is loved more passionately after football in Nepal, it is cricket! And with the country winning their recent ODI status, the game is a truly loved and looked-up to sport.If the team didn’t surprise you enough, watch closely to see how effortlessly Sandeep Lamichhane beats his opponents, how under Paras Khadka’s able leadership, the country makes its ambush against the enemy and how Dipendra Singh Airee stuns the opposite team with strikingly both batting and bowling skills. Read More

Football: For Nepalis, football is much more than just a sport. The country’s recent achievements at the SAFF U18 and U15, among other championships speak of Nepalese passion and growing enthusiasm for football.

Moreover, All Nepal Football Association’s (ANFA) push for skilled footballers right from the grassroot level is offering an additional boost. With increased awareness on the sport from ANFA’S Education program, the country is sure to produce more and more skilled players. No doubt! Nepal has a promising future for football sport. Read More

The Abode of Talents and Skills
Nepal never ceases to surprise the world with its gifts and talents. Even though it is just one country among the hundreds of nations, it constantly reminds us from time-to-time about its existence and its uniqueness!

The post Nepal – The Home to Exceptional Sports Talent! appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Sport to Nepal is like water to fish! It is heartening to see Nepali youngsters’ passion for sports like volleyball, football, handball, cricket, swimming, and of course table tennis! And with a number of sports initiatives being taken up by the Nepal Sports Council (NSC) and Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC), the country is bound to kindle interest among youngsters.

The International Origin of Table Tennis

Table tennis, also known as Ping-Pong, was first played as ‘post-dinner pastime’, popular among the upper-class in Victorian England. During their governance in India, British military officers introduced the make-shift versions of the game in the country around 1860s and 70s.

By 1901, the sport became popular and several tournaments were being held. Books on the game were also being written. The year 1902 witnessed the first unofficial Table Tennis World Championship.

Much later in 1921, the Table Tennis Association (TTA) was founded followed by the United States Table Tennis Association (USTTA) in 1933 by the US governing body.

1926—The Year of Major Developments

TTA was renamed as the English Table Tennis Association (ETTA) in 1926. This was the same year that the main governing body of the game, International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) was established.

London played host for the first official World Table Tennis Championships in 1926.

The Rules of the Game

The sport is played between two or four players who must hit a ball across the table using small bats. The hard-surfaced table is divided by a net.

Table Tennis Rules are as follows: 

• Players are supposed to let the ball bounce once on the table before it is served to them
• Points are gained by the player when the opponent is not able to hit the ball

The game is an engaging and requires fast-paced reactions. After the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, ITTF made some changes in the rules of the game with the aim to make table tennis more of a ‘television viewable’ sport.

Changes included:

• Replacing the 38-mm ball with a 40mm ball in October 2000
• In September 2001, the 21-point scoring system was reduced to a 11-point system
• Service rules were drastically changed in 2002

Nepal’s Affiliation to International and National Table Tennis Association (ATTU)
Nepal was one of the earliest members of the 16-member Asian Table Tennis Union formed on
May 7, 1972. Currently having 44 members, ATTU was affiliated to the ITTF as a continental body representing Asia in 1975 at the 33^rd Congress, Calcutta.

All table tennis related activity is governed by Nepal Table Tennis Association (NTTA) which is associated with the NSC and NOC.

The New Age Nepali Table Tennis Stars

Shyantu Shreshta
When it comes to men’s table tennis in Nepal, the name Shyantu Shrestha rings familiar with all. The 17-year old lad with all his simplicity and passion for the game continues to win hearts at the national and international levels.

Shrestha became a big name when he defeated three-time national champion Deep Sawan and went on to play for gold. The nation realized Shrestha’s incredible potential when he defeated Shiva Sundar Gothe, an established player even before Shrestha was born, in the final match.

When Shrestha was still small, he was drawn to follow his brother Banin’s line of swimming; Banin represented Nepal at the South Asian Games (SAG) and Asian Youth Champion (AYC) for swimming.

However, his focus from swimming shifted when a friend told him that they were giving out bats for free for those playing table tennis. 🙂 Since then there was ‘no turning back’ for Shrestha.

His victory at the 7^th National Games brought him face-to-face with the person who taught him the basics of the game, Nabita Shrestha. Both shared the winning stage together as they posed for a photograph, where Shrestha fondly remembered how Nabita foretold this moment they were sharing, when he first met her.

Fast forward to today, Shyantu Shreshta is preparing for his first international feat, the 2018 South Asian Games.

We hope to see the lad smash some records there!

Nabita Shreshta
Woman of substance, Nabita Shreshta has won for herself many laurels in the field of women table tennis. Her fearless performance in the court has made many opponents settle for their defeat includingher sister-in-law Alina Maharjan.

With her victory at the Huawei National Table Tennis Tournament this year, Nabita kept her winning streak unbeaten and made this tournament her seventh victory in a row. Isn’t that something to be proud about?

We hope that she continues to play undeterred and undefeated in her future tournaments too!

Because Being Unable is not a Disability!
The National Physical Disabled Table Tennis Association (NPDTTA) of Nepal is committed to supporting and encouraging physically-challenged persons to pursue their passion for Table Tennis in the country. NPDTTA is recognized by NSC and the Paralympic Committee in Nepal.

ITTF and the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace (UNSOSDP), in 2016, started an imitative that emphasizes on the role of sports and more specifically table tennis in bringing persons with disability into the fold of the society.  It launched a three-year project ‘Table Tennis for NepALL’ with the same objective and with the aim to support physically-impaired children in Nepal.

Speaking at the launch event in Nepal, Wilfried Lemke, Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace said, “With the Table Tennis for NepALL project, ITTF is providing a great example of how sport, in this case table tennis, can be used to facilitate the inclusion of persons with disabilities in society.”

“Table tennis is not only a question of competition, we have seen today that we can make a big difference in people’s lives using our sport for development and peace, in this case improving the conditions of children with a disability,” Lemke added.

Adding to what Lemke said, Young Sam Ma, Ambassador – Working Group on Sport and Persons with Disabilities Chair said,” For sure Table Tennis for NepALL provides hope and encouragement to them our Working Group and the Republic of Korea government will continue supporting such causes with projects on the field.”

These and many such initiatives are creating hope for Table Tennis in Nepal. We hope that these initiatives involving the Sports Authorities in Nepal come to fruition and establish Nepali players amongst the best of the best.

Also Read:

• Nepal’s Growing Enthusiasm for Handball
• Nepal — A Growing Cricket Nation
• Swimming, A High-esteem Sport for Nepal
• Naismith to Nepal—The Basketball Journey
• Nepal’s Taekwondo: Defense At its Best!
• Nepal Ice Hockey – Legacy in the Making
• Golf, Nepal’s Next Challenge to World Sports!
• Martial Arts- Nepal’s Foray into the Art of Self Defense

The post Nepal’s Table Tennis Now International Treasure appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Jeevan Ram Shrestha, President of Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) said that following the favorable verdict given by the Supreme Court, NOC would now accelerate their preparations for organizing the 13th South Asian Games (SAG) in Nepal.

Though SAG is scheduled to be held in March 2019, the date could be postponed as Nepal’s only international stadium, the Dasharath Stadium, is yet to be fully renovated after the damage caused by the 2015 earthquake. Any delay in hosting the event on time is bound to raise questions about Nepal’s ability to organize big international sporting events. However, Shrestha said that the government was closely monitoring the situation and that they are committed to hosting the event successfully.

Shrestha also mentioned that since most of the earlier editions of the SAG have not been held as per schedule, the South Asian Olympic Council has stipulated countries that are interested in hosting SAG to submit a guarantee of USD 500,000 from the 14^th edition onwards.

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