Durga Bahadur Budha of Karnali Province and Jayarani Tharu of Tribhuvan Army Club set new national records in athletics during the Ninth National Games in Pokhara on Monday.

Budha secured 3000 metres steeplechase gold with a record time of 8 minute 55.19 second to secure first gold for Karnali. He broke Rajendra Bhandari’s 18-year-old record of 8:57.30 set at Islamabad South Asian Games (SAG) in 2004.

Ajit Kumar Yadav of Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club finished with silver clocking 9:21.10 and Subash Karki of Army walked away with bronze at 9:22.14.

Budha, who is enrolled at Indian Army, however, drew controversy as four teams, including departmental sides—Army, APF and Nepal Police Club—and Gandaki Province, registered their protest before the kickoff on Monday claiming his participation as illegitimate. The protest by four teams also delayed the kickoff.

In the protest letter they have claimed that he has represented India at international sports meet and he was ineligible to participate in the Games.

“Budha has been registered as an international player at the database of International Athletics Federation and the proof is attached as well,” reads the protest letter.

Despite complaints against Budha, the technical sub-committee of the Games concluded that the Karnali athlete should not be denied participation in the Games. “Budha has been registered as Karnali player and the Games regulation does not mention if a Nepali player who has represented other countries will be eligible to participate or not. Thus his participation should not be barred,” wrote the technical sub-committee to the athletics organising sub-committee.

Tharu of Army set her second national record at the Games in women’s 100m hurdles heat. She clocked 15.16 seconds to better her own previous record of 15.20. She, however, failed to meet her own heats’ timing in the final but her timing of 15.19 seconds was enough to win gold. Tharu on Sunday had earned 400m hurdles gold with record timing.

Nirmala Thapa of Army took gold clocking 16.25 and Bhagirathi Kumari Tharu of APF walked away with bronze at 19.13.

Army athletes also secured men’s 110m hurdles and men’s discus throw. Jeevan Chaudhary took hurdles gold, clocking 15.03 seconds and finishing ahead of Chandra Dev Joshi (15.81) of Nepal Police Club. Ram Prasad Tharu took home bronze clocking 16.00.

Chitra Bahadur Woli secured discus throw gold with a haul of 38.48 metres, Puskal Khadka of Police finished runner up with a throw of 32.75m and Hemanta Pal of Sudurpaschim took bronze at 31.10m.

The women’s discus throw gold went to Sangita Adhikari of Lumbini who hurled 35.10m. Jeet Kumari Mahato of APF (33.60m) and Milan Budha Magar of Army (32.35m) clinched silver and bronze medals.

Thapa Magar wins squash gold for third time

Amrit Thapa Magar of host Gandaki claimed men’s individual squash gold for the third time in a row at the National Games.

Thapa Magar edged Aarhant Keshar Singh of Bagmati 3-2 set in the men's open individual final to secure top honours from Seventh to Ninth edition of the Games. The competitive match saw Thapa Magar secure 12-10, 8-11, 12-10, 9-11 and 11-8 win.

Deepak Thapa of Gandaki and Amir Blon of Bagmati walked away with bronze medals. Three events including men’s and women’s singles open and team events are included in the Games.

Police dominate table tennis

Nepal Police Club has dominated the table tennis gold claiming four among five gold medals on offer by Monday at Rambazar in Pokhara. Table tennis offers a total of seven gold.

Police—who claimed men’s and women’s team event gold on Saturday, the opening day—secured men’s doubles and mixed doubles gold on Monday. The men’s double saw Police pair of Santoo Shrestha and Binesh Khaniya edge Nepal APF Club’s Shiva Sundar Gothe and Amarlal Malla’s pair in straight sets. Province 1 and Tribhuvan Army Club walked away with bronze medals.

The mixed doubles event saw Police pair of Khaniya and Elina Maharjan beat Army’s duo of Narayan Ghimire and Swechha Nembang in 3-2 sets. Non Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) and Gandaki Province were joint bronze medalists in the event.

APF’s pair of Sikka Suwal Shrestha and Biyanka Rai were the winners of the women's doubles event. The duo saw off Police’s team of Nabita Shrestha and Elina Maharjan in 3-2 sets. Bagmati Province and Police’s other team composed of Manju Suwal and Yasaswi Awal were joint bronze medalists.

The men’s and women’s singles event kicked off on Monday.