The first day of athletics saw two new national records in 100m as sprinter Shiva Chandra Parki eclipsed 23-year-old record and Saraswati Chaudhary also achieved similar feat at the Ninth National Games in Pokhara, Kaski, on Saturday.

Parki clocked 10.56 seconds to shatter the 23-year-old record of 10.71 seconds set by Ram Krishna Chaudhary in 1999 during eighth South Asian Federation Games (SAFG) now renamed as South Asian Games.

Army athletes Yubaraj BK (10.58) and Dilli Bhandari (10.70) secured silver and bronze medals.

“I had been working really hard to become a champion,” said Parki, the younger brother of the 13th South Asian Games (SAG) gold medallist Gopi Chandra, after setting the new record.

“Now my next ambition is to set a 200m national record and win a medal at the Asian Games.”

Nisha Chaudhary of Lumbini had set a new record in the women’s 100m heats finishing the distance in 12.15 seconds eclipsing 1999 SAFG record of Devimaya Paneru with timing of 12.29. But Chaudhary failed to meet her record of heats in the finals.

It was Saraswati of APF Club who bagged gold in the final with yet another new record clocking 12.13 seconds. Nisha walked away with silver at 12.22 and Ramita Tharu of Army won bronze with 12.93 seconds.

Santoshi Shrestha of Bagmati Province clinched gold in women’s 10,000m with a timing of 36 minutes 12.36 seconds.

Rajpura Pachhain of Army finished behind her at 36:29.45 and Pushpa Bhandari took away bronze with a timing of 37.04.02.

Mukesh Pal of Army won men’s 1,500m gold taking 3:52.21 to get the better of Ajit Yadav of APF who completed the distance in 3:53.11. Nageshwar Aahir of Police took bronze clocking 3:53.5.

Fulmati Rana of APF claimed women’s 1,500m gold with a timing of 4:38.19 while Saraswati Bhattarai of Army was second at 4:41.00 and her Army teammate Rekha Limbu took bronze clocking 5:03.80.

Shot put golds for Army, Police

In the men’s shot put, Army athletes secured top two honours with Tilak BK taking gold with a throw of 12.85 metres. His teammate Chitra Bahadur Wali hauled the 7.26kg metal ball 12.64m while Bagmati’s Lalit Rawal was third at 11.95m.

Defending champions Nepal Police Club’s Chandrakala Lamgade secured the women’s shot put gold throwing the 4 kg ball to 12.40m. Lumbini’s Sangita Adhikari earned silver at 10.83m while Police’s Basanti Chaudhary walked away with bronze with a throw of 9.86m.

Army players lead the athletics table at the completion of the first day winning three gold, silver and bronze medals each on the opening day that offered seven among 37 golds. APF are second with two gold, one silver and bronze medals each while Police are third with a gold and a silver each and two bronze medals. Bagmati have won a gold and a silver each while Lumbini are fifth with two silver.

APF qualify for women’s T20 semis

Armed Police Force (APF) Club advanced into the semi-finals of the women’s Twenty20 cricket with a match in hand after a 27-run win over Madhesh Province fired them to the top of Group A with six points.

The departmental side, who elected to bat first, crawled to 101-7 in the stipulated 20 overs after a lower-order resistance in Pokhara.

Madhesh bowlers Sarawati Kumari (3-11), Kabita Gautam (18-2) and Shanti Chaudhary (28-2) troubled the APF batting order, with Mamta Chaudhary top scoring with not out 17.

Openers Indu Barma (6) and Rajmati Airee (16), Sarita Magar (0), Roma Thapa (8) and captain Sita Rana Magar (8) all departed cheaply with only 48 run on board.

But Mamta Chaudhary staged a late fight back, putting on a 23-run stand with Nary Thapa (12) and then a 28-run stand with Jyoti Pandey (15) to drag APF to 101.

In reply, Madhesh were restricted to 74-7 thanks to an economical bowling from APF bowlers, with Thapa returning the match figures of 3-6.

Gautam (13) and Kumari (13) top scored for Madhesh. Opener Anuradha Chaudhary contributed 11 runs.

Suman Bist (1-8), Indu Barma (1-11), Sushma Shrestha (1-6) and Sarita Magar (1-6) pocketed wickets for APF.

Madhesh, who have four points after winning previous two games, can qualify for the semis if they beat Bagmati on Sunday.

Bagmati also kept afloat their chances to reach the last four with a 30-run win over Gandaki in a low scoring match.

Bagmati posted 88 all out after electing to bat first. Sony Pakhrin was the highest scorer for Bagmati with 21 runs. In reply, Gandaki were skittled for 58 runs in 19.1 overs.

Asmina Karmacharya and Bipisha Shahi took two wickets each. Pakhrin, Krishma Gurung, Aarati Bidari and Sanskriti Phuyal picked a wicket each.

Nepal Police Club and Lumbini Province have already booked their spots in the semis from Group B.

Gandaki men, Army women bag handball golds

Gandaki clinched their first gold at the Games after their men’s handball team overcame Army 43-36 in the final to defend the title at the covered hall of Pokhara Stadium. APF won the bronze with a 35-13 win over Lumbini.

In women’s handball, Army women defeated APF 17-13 to win the gold. Gandaki saw off Province 1 22-7 to secure bronze.

Army win twin gold in downhill cycling

Tribhuvan Army Club claimed men’s and women’s cycling downhill gold at the Ninth National Games in Pokhara on Saturday.

Rajesh Magar of Army clocked 1 minute 49.10 seconds to finish the 1,400m downhill course while Nirav Shrestha of Bagmati Province stood second at 1:52.10. Prachit Thapa of Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club secured bronze with a timing of 1:55.69.

Nishma Shrestha of Army finished the women’s same event at 2:23.58 to bag gold while her club mate Usha Khanal won silver at 2:37.45. Gandaki Province’s Jamuna Thapa earned a bronze medal clocking 2:40.09.

Cycling competition featuring 10 teams will also have cross country, road race individual time trial and road race mass start. Cross country event will be played on Sunday.