Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club clinched the National Women’s League football tournament under the National Sports Council (NSC) Championships with a 3-1 victory over Nepal Police Club (NPC)  at the Anfa Complex in Satdobato on Thursday.

Sabitra Bhandari scored a brace to wrap up with a record 29 individual goals from six matches. She had struck a dozen goals alone in her team’s 26-0 rout of Mid-west  in the preliminary league. Bhandari put APF ahead in the 17th minute before Saru Limbu doubled their advantage two minutes later.

NPC pulled one back in the 34th minute through Rupa Rai but Bhandari settled the nerves with her second in the 75th minute.

Earlier in the day, Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) thrashed Far Western Region 7-0 to finish second. Skipper Krishna Khatri alone struck five goals. Khatri started with a 15th minute goal before going on to add more in the 31st, 53rd, 56th and 63rd minutes. Sharmila Thapa Magar and Bimala Chaudhary were also on the scoresheet.

APF finished the four-team Super League with nine points from maximum three matches. Army ended up second with six points. NPC finished third with just one win while Far-west finished winless. APF received Rs 200,000 and Army earned Rs 100,000. NPC got Rs 50,000.

Anjali Tumbapo Subba of APF was named the best goalkeeper, here teammate Bhandari declared the best forward and Janak Singh Tharu the best coach. Army player Dipa Rai was adjudged the best defender and her teammate Anjali Waiba the best midfielder.

Central claim golf gold

Central Region claimed the team event gold of the golf tournament at the par-68 Royal Nepal Golf Club on Thursday. The Central Region team of Tanka Bahadur Karki, Subash Ghising and Sandip Tamang scored a total of 10-over 282 in the 36-hole event to secure the title. Karki shot two-under 66, Ghising carded one-over 69 and Tamang returned with 15-over 83 on Thursday. The best two cards were considered to decide the champions.

Nirvana Country Club team of Sukra Bahadur Rai (74), Yubraj Bhujel (77) and Sundar Rai (71) finished second with a total score of 294, while RNGC team of Binod Tamang (75), Bharat Bastakoti (76) and Navaraj Chaulagain (82) ended up in third with the score of 304. In all, seven teams took part in the team event.

In individual category, Karki opened up an eight-stroke lead after the second round. Karki shot two-under 66 for a total of one-over 137. Ghising and Rai were tied for the second at nine-over 145. Ghising carded one-over 69 as overnight co-leader Rai stumbled to six-over 74. Sundar Rai (71) was fourth at 13-over 149, one stroke ahead of Bipin Tamang (74). Navaraj Thapa was in sixth at 151, while Binod Tamang and Bharat Bastakoti were tied for the seventh at 152. Suresh Tamang and Amit Bogati shared the ninth position at 153.

Cut was applied at 26-over 162 and the top 21 players made it to the third and final round on Friday. In all, 40 golfers are taking part in the tournament held under the National Sports Council Championships.

Adhikari lives up to his star billing

Olympian Kamal Bahadur Adhikari of TAC struck gold in the men’s 77kg weight category of the National Weightlifting Championships in Pokhara. Adhikari lifted a total of 273kg and during the period missed out on a new national record in snatch. He lifted 120kg in snatch failing to better his own mark of 122kg. On Wednesday, Adhikari lifted 153kg in clean and jerk.

Another TAC lifter Manita Shrestha won the women’s 63kg gold lifting 140kg—60kg in snatch and 80kg in clean and jerk.  Rajya Laxmi Thapa of NPC won the women’s 69kg gold lifting 60kg in snatch, 83kg in clean and jerk for a total lift of 143kg. Laxmi Ban of NPC took the women’s 75kg top spot with a total lift of 142kg. She had 62 in snatch and 80kg in clean and jerk.

NPC’s Tara Devi Pun, a South Asian Games silver medallist, was the lone participant in the women’s 90kg and she lifted 167kg in total with 70kg in snatch and 97kg in clean and jerk.  Raju Chaudhary of TAC ruled the men’s 62kg category with a total lift of 193kg. In the men’s 69kg event, Bikash Thapa of NPC bagged gold with a total lift of 237kg.

Army win kabbadi titles

Tribhuvan Army Club claimed both the men’s and women’s titles of the National Kabbadi Championships in Gulariya, Banke, on Thursday. In the men’s final, Army beat Western Region 39-25. The women’s title decider saw the departmental team overcome Far Western Region 39-22. The four-day tournament featured eight teams in both the categories: five regional and three departmental teams.

TAC, Central in final

In the National Basketball Championships, TAC and Central set the title clash of the men’s tournament. At the NSC covered hall, TAC swept aside APF 93-77 on a back of 23 points from Sadish Pradhan. Central sidelined NPC 86-70 with Rajeev Joshi tossing in 26 points. Central also entered the women’s final and will meet Mid-western Region in the gold medal clash. Maya Rai scored 11 points as Mid West hammered Western Region 68-33. Central overcame TAC 57-29 in the other semi-final after Luniva Singh netted 14.

Thapa shoots 573

Hari Bahadur Thapa of NPC accumulated 573 points in the men’s 10m air rifle under the National Shooting Championships. Thapa edged ahead by three points after Krishna Ghorasaini of TAC shot 570. Pawan Ghimire of Mid West was third with 569 points. In the women’s 10m air rifle, Sinduja Basnet of Central and Durga Sinjali of NPC earned 379 points each out of 400. Amita Shrestha of Eastern was up next with 343 points.

Maharjan, Shrestha in last eight

The NPC duo of Elina Maharjan and Nabita Shrestha entered the women’s double quarter-finals of the National Table Tennis Championships. Maharjan and Shrestha beat Pabitra Khanal and Puja Nepali of Dang 11-3, 11-2, 11-4. Swekshya Nembang and Rabina Maharjan of TAC, Sonu Thapa Magar and Manju Suwal of NPC, Geeta Bhujel and Rupa Limbu of Sunsari, Selisha Khadgi and Sikka Suwal of APF also joined them in the last eight. In the men’s doubles, Binesh Khaniya and Pradi Rokka of NPC, Bibek Kawan and Rajojman Thaku of Bhaktapur, Santosh Kafle and Prabesh Neupane of Morang along with NPC pair Syantu Shrestha and Dip Saun entered the quarter-finals.