Thai players dominated the Nepal International Series badminton tournament winning four out of five gold medals in offer on the final day at the Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) covered hall in Halchowk on Saturday.

Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn claimed the men’s singles title while his compatriot Chananchida Jucharoen bagged women’s singles top honour. Vitidsarn fought back from a first set deficit against Malaysia’s Teck Zhi Shoo to win the final 20-22, 22-20, 21-9. Jucharoen saw off Myanmar’s Thet Htar Thuzar in a three-set affair to take home women’s singles gold. After winning the first set 21-18, the Thai player lost the second set 10-21. But she bounced back to win the decider 21-17. The singles winners Vitidsarn and Jucharoen walked away with $750 apiece while runners up Shoo and Thuzar got $ 380. The losing semi-finalists of either category got share of

 $ 290.

In an all-Thailand mixed doubles affair, the pair of Supak Jomkoh and Supissara Paewsampran prevailed over Panachai Worasaktayanan and Pitchayanin Ungka 19-21, 21-15, 21-14. The men’s doubles final also featured Thai shuttlers with Jomko and Supissara Paewsampran beating compatriots Writ Sarapat and Worasaktayanan 21-11, 21-15.

Indian shuttlers clinched the women’s doubles title defeating Sri Lankan opponents. The Indian pair of Arpana Balan and Sruthi KP thumped Thilini Pramodika Hendahewa and Kavidi Sirimannage in straight sets of 21-16, 21-13. The winners and runners up in the doubles events got  $790 and $380. Cash prizes were also set aside for semi-finalists, quarter-finalists and pre-quarterfinalists in all categories. The five-day tournament offered an overall purse of US$ 10,000.

Nepali shuttlers’ challenge had ended at the quarter-finals stages of the tournament— the third tier programme of the World Badminton Federation (BWF) after the top-tier BWF Super Series and Grand Prix Gold & Grand Prix. In all 178 players—117 in men’s and 61 in women’s categories—from 20 nations were in fray for five championship titles.