The Ninth National Games officially kicked off Friday evening, with Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun declaring the formal opening of the country’s mega sporting event amid a lousy ceremony at the Pokhara Stadium.

“I declare the official opening of the Ninth National Games,” said Pun after an almost half-an-hour long speech at the opening ceremony, which lasted for more than three-and-a-half hours.

Apart from Pun, other high-ranking officials including Minister for Youth and Sports Maheshwar Jung Gahatraj and Gandaki Province Chief Minister Krishna Chandra Nepali Pokharel also gave lengthy speeches.

Jeevan Ram Shrestha, president of Nepal Olympic Committee and Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and National Sports Council Member Secretary Tanka Lal Ghising also took the opportunity for a speech.

Seven provinces, Nepal Police, Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Non Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) are competing in the Games.

The Games held with the slogan of ‘Unified Country, Message of Sports’ will feature a total of 6,102 athletes. The players will vie for a total of 393 gold and silver each, and 600 bronze medals in 36 different events.

Gandaki’s Olympian Tika Bahadur Bogati lit the Olympics Cauldron while Minister for Youth and Sports Gahatraj hoisted the national flag.

The opening ceremony also featured fireworks, cultural shows, dance and song. All 11 participating teams performed the march past in the Games held at the stadium almost after four decades. Pokhara hosted the last edition of the Games in 1984.

The men’s T20 cricket under the Games concluded a month earlier and some other games including fencing, football, volleyball and handball among others had already kicked off prior to the opening ceremony.

Army claim fencing team championship title

Tribhuvan Army Club on Friday clinched the team championship title in fencing event under the Ninth National Games claiming fifth gold at the Pokhara covered hall in Kaski.

The men’s senior team of Army comprising Rajesh Chaudhary, Min Karki, Suraj Singh and Ram Thapa secured epee gold. They defeated Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club in the summit clash. Bagmati and Gandaki settled with bronze medals.

With the win, Army finished fencing with five gold, five silver and five bronze medals each. Bagmati secured second position with four golds, three silvers and a bronze while APF were third with two gold, four silver and seven bronze medals.

Sudurpaschim Province walked away with one gold, two silver and four bronze medals while Province 1 took three bronze. Fencing offered a total of 12 gold medals.

Police, Lumbini enter women’s cricket semi-final

Nepal Police Club and Lumbini Province entered the women's Twenty20 semi-final from Group ‘B’.

Despite facing a humiliating 97-run defeat against Police in their last group match, Lumbini finished group runners up behind the departmental team who wrapped up group stage on maximum six points from three matches.

Lumbini were tied on three points with Province 1, but they secured second position based on better net run rate. Province 1 finished third despite a seven-wicket win over Karnali Province in their last group match while the latter crashed out pointless losing all three matches.

In the day’s opening match, Kabita Joshi cracked an unbeaten 48-run as Police, who chose to bat first, posted 112-7 and bowled out Lumbini for 15 runs in 12.5 overs.

The player-of-the-match Joshi hit seven fences and a six in her quickfire knock of 29 balls. Samjhana Khadka contributed 38-ball 29 and Apsari Begam scored 10 runs for the departmental team.

Lumbini bowler Sushmita Bhusal and Maheesha Rana grabbed two wickets each.

Chasing the target, seven Lumbini batters returned to the pavilion without opening score and none of them touched double digit figures.

Ishwori Bist of Police claimed four wickets while Hiranmayee Roy and captain Rubina Chhetry picked two wickets apiece.

In another match, electing to bat first Karnali Province were bowled out for 53 runs in 16.1 overs before Province 1 raced to 54-3 in 6.4 overs.

Karnali opener Yamuna Tharu and captain Bina Thapa were the only players to manage double digits, scoring 31-ball 21 and 16-ball 11 respectively.

Province 1 bowler Lakita Rajbanshi, also named player-of-the-match, claimed four wickets. She gave away five runs in her three over spell conceding five runs with a maiden over. Alisha Khadiya grabbed three wickets.

In the run chase, Province 11 opener Nisha Shah contributed 21-ball 18 and Rajbanshi remained not out on 14 runs facing nine deliveries.

Army men’s, women’s team into handball final

Both men’s and women’s teams of the Tribhuvan Army Club enter the handball final at the Pokhara covered hall.

The men’s team edged departmental rival APF 27-22 in the final to set up a title clash against Gandaki. Though Sandip Karki alone scored seven goals for APF they failed to win the game. Gandaki recorded a comfortable 54-21 win over Lumbini Province in another semi-final. Chandra Thapa contributed the highest 18 goals for Gandaki. Lumbini and APF will vie in the playoffs on Saturday.

In the women’s semi-final, Army saw off Gandaki and APF edged Province 1 to set up departmental final.

Army pulled off a 24-9 win over Gandaki riding on seven goals of Kalpana Thapa. APF thumped Province 1 29-6 on the back of seven goals from Uma Rai. The final and third place playoffs will both be played on Saturday.

Bhandari nets six in women’s football

APF forward Sabitra Bhandari alone netted half a dozen of goals as the departmental team registered a comfortable 7-1 win over Province 1 in Waling, Syangja.

Bhandari netted three goals in either half before Anita KC added another in the second half. Anjana Thulung Rai hit back a consolation for Province 1.

In the women’s opening match played earlier, Gandaki pulled off 3-0 win over Karnali with a second half brace from Udaya Thapa before Shanti Nepali opened the scoring in the first half.

Gandaki enter knockout stage with single win in volleyball

Gandaki edged Bagmati in their first match at Pokhara Volleyball Technical Centre as both the teams entered men’s quarter-finals from Group ‘D’ that comprised just two teams.

Gandaki registered a 25-20, 15-25, 25-18, 25-14 win to top the group.

In the opening game, defending champions Police registered a straight set victory of 25-16, 25-12, 25-11 over Karnali. Apart from Police and Karnali, Group ‘A’ comprises Lumbini. The participating 11 teams are divided into four groups with the top two teams from each group making it into the last eight.