E-Kantipur

KATHMANDU, SEP 25 -

Malaysia gave Nepal a stiff competition but the host clinched three gold medals on the final day of the First Mount Everest International Taekwondo Championship to take the pole position on Saturday.

In the last five bouts of the tournament held at the Dashrath Stadium, Nepal won three while Malaysia managed only one as the host were named team champions with six gold medals in total, one more than Malaysia.

Likewise, the US finished third with two gold medals.

Sujan Joshi, Apsara Karki and Anoj Pujari struck gold for Nepal. It was the first gold for all three players. The decision for the team champion was decided in the final bout between Joshi of Nepal and Rusfredy Tokan of Malaysia in the men’s 58-63kg weight group.

In a keenly contested match between Joshi and Tokan, the first two rounds went by without a single point. In the decisive third round, Joshi pipped Tokan 4-3.

Joshi, who is usually accused of losing his nerves at crucial times, kept his cool to grab his first international medal. The 21-year-old said before the match he was under immense pressure as the outcome of the match would decide the team champion. “Today I kept my cool thinking only about my country which provided me the strength to overcame the challenge,” he said.

As for 23-year-old Pujari, who has been in the business for ten years, finally bagged a medal in an international arena, thanks to his decision to change his weight category. Until this event, he used to be beaten by Aasish Maharjan in the national tournaments. Gaining up three kgs, he competed in the 68-74 kg weight group in the national

circuit and on Saturday he knocked Md Anwar Hossain of Bangladesh out in the first round. “This being my first international tournament I had not expected a gold,” jubilant Pujara said, “This is beyond my wildest dream and from now on I will stick to this weight category.” 

Karki, competing in women’s 46-49 kg weight group, beat Noor Hana Ho Dike of Malaysia 11-7. Karki made a sedate start, trailing

2-6 in the first round. She did not fair well in the second round either as she lost it 3-7. But she came out alive in the third and deciding round to earn eight points in it to seal the match in her favour.

“This is my first international gold and its has boosted my confidence,” the 19 year-old who has featured in four international tournaments said. “I will now focus for the South Asian Games and try and get a gold there as well.”

Gyani Chunara and Badri Nath Basnet competing in women’s 53-57 kg weight group and men’s 80-87 kg weight group respectively had to be content with a silver each.

Chunara went down 2-12 against Shari Fahmaryam Alawiyan of Malaysia while Basnet lost 8-11 against Jared Reed of the US.

Likewise, Basma Essa of UAE and Kina Fumiyelo Lo of the US, both competitor of female 53-57 kg category, were adjudged the best players in the three-day tournament which was jointly organised by Nepal Taekwondo Association and International Nepalese Taekwondo Association.

Medal tally

Country     Gold     Silver     Bronze     Total

Nepal    6    8    -    14

Malaysia     5    3    2    10

USA    2    1    3    6

Bangladesh    1    1    4    6

India    -    1    7    8

Hong Kong    -    -    4    4

Pakistan    -    -    3    3

Canada    -    -    1    1

South Korea    -    -    1    1

Total    14    14    25    53

Posted on: 2011-09-25 10:09

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