NOC awards 14 athletes with scholarships

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Dec. 20: The Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) announced the Road to LA Olympic Games 2028 initiative in Kathmandu on Friday. Under the programme, the NOC awarded scholarships to 14 Nepali athletes in preparation for the Los Angeles Olympics, the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, and the Dakar Youth Olympics.

As part of the Olympic Athlete Scholarship Programme, eight outstanding athletes have been granted scholarships for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. The recipients are: Manita Shrestha Pradhan (Judo), Prince Dahal (Badminton), Evana Thapa (Table Tennis), Shivali Gurung (Tennis), Usha Khanal (Cycling), Tenzin Bertin Rai (Sport Climbing), Sadbhav Acharya (Golf), and Ervin Shrestha (Swimming).

According to the NOC, the selected athletes will receive monthly financial support aimed at international competition exposure, high-performance training, and livelihood assistance in preparation for the Olympics. Each athlete will be awarded USD 1,125 per month from 1 September 2025 until the LA Olympics in 2028.

Addressing the function, NOC President Jeevan Ram Shrestha said the initiative marks an important step in Nepal’s long-term elite athlete development pathway. “The programme is designed to provide structured, sustained, and athlete-centred support, reducing financial barriers and enabling Nepal’s top athletes to train and compete at international standards on the road to LA 2028.”

He further explained that scholarships are awarded only after IOC Solidarity confirmation. “Sports associations recommend their best players to NOC Nepal, and the NOC forwards these names to IOC Solidarity,” Shrestha added. He emphasised that participation in the Olympics and the Asian Games should not be merely symbolic but must be result-oriented.

In addition to the Olympic-focused scholarships, the NOC announced the continuation of its Athlete Scholarship Programme to support five athletes for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 and one for the Dakar Youth Olympic Games.

For the Asian Games, Arika Gurung (Karate), Sanumaya Thing (Karate), Chandra Bahadur Thapa (Boxing), Tilak Pun Magar (Archery), and Sushmita Tamang (Wushu) have been selected. For the Dakar Youth Olympics, Rashmi Tamang (Wushu) has been chosen.

Athletes selected for the Asian Games 2026 and the Youth Olympic Games 2026 will receive monthly financial assistance of Rs. 50,000 from 1 January until the hosting of the respective events. The NOC also signed agreements with the athletes and their respective sports associations during the function.

President Shrestha noted that scholarships for the Asian Games and Youth Olympics are funded directly by the NOC. “The financial assistance for the Asian Games and Youth Olympics is managed by ourselves, segregating the amount from our administrative expenditure,” he said.