Bikash Thapa claimed the first silver as Nepal wrapped up the day of the 12th South Asian Games with three medals here on Saturday.

Thapa claimed first silver in the men’s 62kg weightlifting, while the discipline a lso brought another bronze through Devi Chaudhary at the Bhogeshwari Phukanani Indoor Stadium. 

After missing out of on a medal in the 2010 11th SA Games in Dhaka, weightlifting has returned to winning ways since 2006. The discipline had brought one gold and a bronze medal in the 10th edition of the Games held in Sri Lanka. 

Saroj Yadav won Nepal’s third bronze of the day in men’s wrestling. In swimming, Sofia Shah and Gaurika Singh set new national records before crashing out of the finals. The women’s volleyball team entered the semi-finals after a walkover from Afghanistan, while the men’s team made a group stage exit.

Hard work pays for Thapa

On a day that was expected to end with bronze medals, Thapa came up with a silver after he lifted a total of 242 kg —112 in snatch and 130 in clean and jerk for his second international medal. He had also won a silver in the first South Asian Weightlifting Championship held in Nepalgunj in 2013.

Thapa’s lift in snatch was also a new national record that eclipsed Roshan Nakarmi’s 110kg, while the total lift was his best ever performance. Sri Lanka claimed gold and India took bronze in the event competed by six lifters. 

“I had worked really hard for this. I am really proud,” said the 27-year old Nepal Police Club lifter. “It was tough to get the better of Indian lifter but I was confident that I can overcome others. My performance went according to my expectations,” added Thapa who had finished fourth in the previous edition of the regional Games. 

Thapa’s silver came after Devi Kumari Chaudhary gave Nepal their first medal— a bronze—in the women’s 53kg weight category. The 31-year old Chaudhary snatched 54kg and lifted 75kg in clean and jerk for a total of 129 kg.

In all, five weightlifters had participated in the event where Chaudhary left behind lifters from Pakistan and Bangladesh. India claimed gold and Sri Lanka took 

silver. Women’s weightlifting has been included for 

the first time in the regional games. 

“I was not expecting any medal. I was in an attempt to make a national record but could not do that. I am happy that I could win a medal for the country,” said Chaudhary. Manisha Ranabhat and Prakash KC, meanwhile, 

had an off day. 

Ranabhat finished fourth in the women’s 48kg in a four-woman field. She lifted a total of 107kg-47kg in snatch and 60 in clean and jerk. Hosts India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh won gold, silver and bronze in the event. KC also ended-up at the bottom of the five-man men’s 56kg with a total lift of 198kg.

KC lifted 90kg in snatch and 108kg in clean and jerk in the event where India claimed gold, Sri Lanka took silver and Pakistan bagged bronze.

First medal for Yadav

Saroj Yadav won Nepal’s third bronze after making it to the semi-finals of the men’s 65kg freestyle wrestling. Yadav lost in the semi-finals to share the bronze with a Sri Lankan player. India won gold and Pakistan took silver.

Swimming 

While Shah broke the women’s 200m freestyle national record, Singh bettered her own previous mark in the 100m butterfly during the heats. Shah timed 2:13.81 in the heats to break Singh’s record of 2:14.00 set during the 2015 Fina World Championships in Russia. 

Shah then improved on her timing in the finals clocking 2:13.32 but finished fourth, one spot ahead of Singh. The 13-year old Singh, meanwhile, bettered her previous record of 1:19.34 set during the 19th National Swimming Championships two years ago. Singh, however, clocked 1:11.21 in the finals to finish sixth overall.

Sirish Gurung also qualified for the men’s 200m freestyle final and clocked 2:07.98 to finish seventh. Shuvam Shrestha ended up fifth in the men’s 200m breaststroke clocking 2:50.45 and Sonira Bista made an eighth place finish in the women’s event timing 3:18.11. 

The men’s team finished fifth in the 4x100m relay and the women’s team stood fourth in the category.    

Football

Nepali men’s team are taking on Bhutan in their first Group ‘B’ match at the Nehru Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday. Bangladesh are the other team in the group. 

The SA Games men’s football is an U-23 event with each side allowed to field three senior players. Biraj Maharjan, Nawayug Shrestha and Bikram Lama are the over-aged players in the squad that recently claimed the Bangabandhu Gold Cup in Bangladesh. 

Also on Sunday, the women’s team, who crushed Bangladesh 3-0 in the opener, will play Maldives in Shillong.

Volleyball

Nepali women began their campaign with a defeat against Sri Lanka on Friday but they made it to the semi-finals after a walkover from Afghanistan. The men’s team suffered their second consecutive defeat, losing to India 25-15, 25-16, 25-15.