Nepal bags bronze in women’s Kabaddi

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Oct. 7: Nepal’s karate player Biplav Lal Shrestha missed a chance to secure a bronze medal, while the women’s kabaddi team managed to win the bronze medal in the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China on Friday. 

Nepal, however, lost all their matches on the 14th day of the games. Out of the 29 sports disciplines in which Nepal participated, challenges in 25 games have been completed. The matches in Wrestling, Karate, Canoeing, and women’s volleyball are still ongoing.

Despite losing to India in the semi-finals with a score of 17-61, Nepal managed to secure the third position in women’s kabaddi and ended their medal drought in the games. The losers in the kabaddi semifinals automatically receive the third position and bag bronze medals. 

Kareteka Shrestha lost his chance to win the bronze medal in the men’s +84kg Kumite after losing 1-9 to Saudi Arabia’s Tareg Ali Hamedi.

Shrestha defeated Umed Safarov of Tajikistan 12-4 to advance to the quarterfinals. However, he lost his last eight matches against Adilet Shadykanov of Kyrgyzstan 5-1. After getting a bye in the first match of the repechage, Shrestha faced Hamid in the bronze medal match.

Nirupa Tamang Dong lost to Bangladeshi Humaira Akhtar Antara 5-1 in the women’s under 61 kg Kumute. 

In women’s freestyle 62kg wrestling, Sushila Chand suffered a defeat against India’s Sonam by 10-0. Suwangi Duwe also lost in women’s freestyle 57kg on Thursday.

Nepal’s Raj Yadav (125kg) and Bali Sou (74 kg) will compete in men’s wrestling on Saturday. 

In addition, Nepal’s Deepak Lama has been eliminated from the first round in the breaking of the dance sports, placing 23rd out of 25 players in the men’s pre-selection held on Friday. It is the first time that breaking is included in the Asiad.

The Nepali women’s volleyball team suffered their fourth consecutive defeat after losing to Hong Kong 25-22, 25-16, 25-18 in straight sets in the 10th-place playoff match. 

After being eliminated from the medal competition, the Nepali women are now competing for the ranking. Nepal’s women’s volleyball team played in the Asiad for the first time. They will play against Mongolia in the 11th-place playoff match on Saturday.