The 13th South Asian Games (SAG) gold medalist Minu Gurung advanced into the quarter-final of the Ganesh Man Singh Memorial National Boxing Championships that kicked off in Kathmandu on Tuesday.

The Tribhuvan Army Club boxer saw off Ramisha Shrestha of Madhes Province in women's 51kg bout at the Basantapur Dabali. Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club boxer Sanju Maya Thing also entered the last eight rounds in the same weight category defeating Sushmita Shrestha.

The women's 57kg bout saw Bagmati Province’s Swastika Tiruwa edge Karnali Province's Sushila Thapa and Province 1 player Sushmita Rai beat Sudurpaschim’s Sanjita Chaudhary for a place in the quarters.

In the men's 52kg, Aakash Rana of Gandaki Province beat Suraj Oli of Lumbini Province and APF's Pradip Maharjan saw off Karnali's Mohan Gurung to secure the last eight berth. In the men's 57kg, Sambhu Rajbanshi of Nepal Police Club saw off Ram Bahadur Thapa of Sudurpaschim to enter the quarters. APF's Sonan Sarki and Anil Pun Magar of Lumbini secured quarter-final spots in the men's 63kg division. Sarki edged Birendra Rawal of Sudurpaschim and Pun Magar beat Tobin Pradhan of Province 1.

The men's 69kg weight division saw Bikram Chaudhary of APF beat Sachin Shakya of Madhes and Bikash Rana Magar of Lumbini beat Sunil BK of Gandaki to book the last eight tickets. In the men's 75kg, Army's Dipesh Lama beat Ganesh Sunar of Lumbini to enter the quarter-final.

SAG gold medalists feted

The 13th South Asian Games (SAG) gold medalists Minu Gurung, Bhupendra Thapa Magar and Sanil Shahi were honoured with cash prizes during the championship’s inauguration ceremony.

The trio were given Rs100,000 each by Om Narayan Shrestha, the member of Nepal Boxing Association and also the member of the championships' organising committee. The championship is organised by Bir Ganesh Man Singh Sports Committee under Ganesh Man Singh Foundation.

Earlier, Former Deputy Prime Minister and Nepali Congress leader Prakash Man Singh inaugurated the event which features 12 gold medals — seven in men's and five in women's weight category.

Altogether, 10 teams, including seven provincial and three departmental — Police, APF and Army — are competing in the event. The winners and runners up of each weight division will get cash prizes of Rs25,000 and Rs15,000 while the two losing semi-finalists will get Rs7,000 each. The best male and female player will get a two-wheeler.