Nepal finished team champions with nine gold, five silver and 10 bronze medals at the second Mt Everest Interna-tional Open Taekwondo Championships on Monday.
Nepal finished team champions with nine gold, five silver and 10 bronze medals at the second Mt Everest Interna-tional Open Taekwondo Championships on Monday.
Nepal added three more gold medals on Monday with Sujan Joshi, Neema Gurung and Sangita Bashyal winning their respective events.
Gurung defeated Jasmine Nabita Sukardi of Malaysia 11-7 in the women’s 53kg category final, Joshi dispatched Ashish Sinha of India 17-5 in the men’s 63kg category title match, while Bashyal laboured to a narrow 6-5 win over Thava Kumarisha of Malaysia in the women’s 73kg weight group final.
Another local hope Yan Kumari Chaulagain came agonisingly close to clinch the women’s 49kg category gold, losing the final 11-10 to Nur Fasha of Malaysia.
Coming into the final with an injury she sustained during her semi-final win, Chaulagain fell four points behind with 10 seconds remaining. She fought her way back to within a point of her opponent but that was as close as she could come.
Coach Sangina Baidhya praised Chaudhary for her courageous fightback. “Coming that close to victory against the best player of the tournament proves how good a player she is,” Baidhya said.
India finished second with four gold medals while Malaysia ended with two gold medals after Khir Amir Salam prevailed in men’s 74kg weight group. Salam overcame the challenge of Sakshyam Karki 13-10.
Bangladesh also secured a gold medal. Mohammad Mizanur, who was also adjudged the best player of the tournament, defeated Soham Sadhukam of India 17-9 in the men’s 87kg final.
Sri Lanka received the most disciplined team award while Choi Seung Gil of Bangladesh earned the best coach honour.
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