Tribhuvan Army Club athletes Deepak Adhikari and Jayarani Tharu set new national records in athletics at the Ninth National Games in Pokhara on Sunday.

Adhikari set a new record in men’s 10,000m race while Tharu bettered her own previous mark in women’s 400m hurdles.

Adhikari clocked 30 minutes 10.30 seconds to break an eight-year-old record set by Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club athlete Gopi Chandra Parki, to win his maiden gold. Parki held the record of 30:30.99 set at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. The APF athlete Parki, also the gold medallist in the 10,000m event at the 13th South Asian Games in 2019, finished runner up taking 30:49.50.

Army runner Tharu clocked 1:04.13 to better her own previous national record of 1:07.2 set during the 44th National Athletics Championship set in June earlier this year to secure gold. Bhagirathi Kumari Tharu of APF finished with silver, clocking 1:06.06, while her club mate Kalpana Shrestha walked away with bronze at 1:06.51.

Army athletes won both men’s and women’s high jump gold. Army’s Khagita Sinjali secured top finish in women’s high jump with a leap of 1.52m. Army’s Bindu Thanet won Silver at 1.50m and Sima Shrestha of Gandaki took bronze with a leap of 1.41m.

Surya Bahadur Khatri took men’s high jump gold with a jump of 1.90m. Nikesh Mahato of Bagmati Province clinched silver at 1.75m and Roshan Danuwar of Nepal Police Club collected bronze leaping 1.75m.

Bagmati pip Madhesh to semis in women’s cricket

Departmental team Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club entered the semi-finals of women’s T20 cricket as Group ‘A’ winners as they defeated Sudurpaschim Province by five wickets to accumulate eight points from four matches.

Bagmati also qualified for the last four as runners-up from the same group after an eight-wicket win over Madhesh in their last group match gave them six points, two above the losing side at third.

APF will meet Group ‘B’ runners-up Lumbini and Bagmati will vie against Group ‘A’ winners Nepal Police Club in the semi-finals on Monday.

Batting first, Sudurpaschim posted 92-3 before APF made 95-5 in 16 overs. Veteran Ritu Kanoujiya scored 46-ball 35, the highest of the innings for Sudurpaschim. Rubi Poddar (23 off 35) and Sneha Mahara (18 off 20) were the other players to make decent contributions.

APF bowlers Nary Thapa, Indu Barma and Sushma Shretha claimed a wicket each.

In the run chase, APF’s number three batter Indu Barma cracked 43-ball 45 that included five fences before being caught and bowled by Anu Kadayat. Opener Jyoti Pandey and Roma Thapa both contributed 11 runs each with the latter remaining unbeaten.

Sudurpaschim bowlers Manish Chaudhary, Kadayat, Dolly Bhatta and Sneha Mahara picked one wicket each.

In the late fixture, put to bat first, Madhesh were bowled out for a meagre total of 54 runs in 18.2 overs before Bagmati made 55-2 in 13.2 overs.

None of the Madhesh batters managed to touch double digit figures.

Bagmati bowlers Bipisha Shahi, Sony Pakhrin and Khusi Dangol claimed two wickets each.

In the run chase, Bagmati batter Anisha Majhakoti and Suman Khatiwada played an unbeaten innings of 34 runs for the third wicket. Khatiwada played 15-ball 17 comprising a six and Majhakoti contributed 16 off 29 that included three boundaries. Opener Ashmita Kharel scored 13 runs.

Madhesh bowlers Saraswati Kumari Chaudhary and Kabita Gautam claimed one wicket each.

Full contact karate

Gandaki Province, Tribhuvan Army Club and Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club finished with three golds each in the full contact karate.

Among 12 golds on offer, including seven in men’s and five in women’s category, Gandaki secured gold in men’s U-40kg, U-50kg and women’s U-55kg weight divisions. Avishek Dimdung edged Sagar Thing of Army in the U-40kg division gold clash, Anish Budha Magar saw off Bijay Rai of Bagmati in men’s U-50kg division final and Dhani Rana Magar beat Pabitra Chand of Army in women’s U-55kg final.

Army secured top finishes in men’s and women’s open weight division and men’s U- 65kg division. Army fighter Binay Singh beat Rupak Nepal of Gandaki in men’s open weight division final while Manju BK of the departmental team secured top finish in women’s open division defeating Nisha Bohara of Bagmati. Army’s Sunny Singh grabbed gold in the U-65kg division defeating Shiva Bhujel of Gandaki in the final.

APF fighters earned gold in women’s U-45kg, U-50kg and men’s U-45kg division. In the women’s U-45kg final, Rina Majhi saw off Anjana Dhungel of Police while Karishma Karki secured U-50kg gold defeating Nabina Ghalan of Bagmati.

Madhesh and Police walked away with a gold each in men’s U-55kg and U-60kg, respectively. Madhesh’s Dharmindar Ram beat Army’s Chok Bahadur Budhathoki in the 55kg division gold clash while Police’s Susan Lamichhane beat Bikash Gurung of Army in U-60kg final.