KATHMANDU: The 13th South Asian Game (SAG) is being held in two places of Nepal – Kathmandu and Pokhara this year. In the biennial multi-sport event to be held from December 1 to 10, the Nepali team is upbeat of turning the tables in its favor taking advantage of the home ground.
Nepal has won the highest number of medals in martial art in the history of SAG. It has won a total of 71 medals –the highest in the SAG’s history that began 36 years ago.
Of which, 59 medals had been achieved in the martial art category alone. Of the total 31 gold cups, Nepal had bagged 30 in martial art category in eight SAG held in Kathmandu in 1999.
However, Nepal could not continue keeping the success of the eighth edition. The performance started deteriorating in the subsequent editions. It won only 7 gold cups in the ninth edition, 6 in 10th edition and 7 in 11th edition. The number of gold cups decreased to 2 in the 12th edition.
Nepal performed successfully in Karate event, too in the eighth edition. India did not include Karate in the 12th edition. It has been included in the 13th edition.
“We are practicing. But close training session is not sufficient to excel in the event. Players should get international exposure for better performance ,” said Maharjan.
Nepal is unlikely to revive the past glory in the 13th SAG even if it performed better than in the last four editions, said Deepak Shrestha, gold cup winner and president of International Players Association.
“It is tough to revive the eight edition’s glory in the upcoming SAG. Developed countries had not prioritized martial art then. Now they have started investing in it. Hence, it is tougher to clinch medals in the upcoming SAG. But we will leave no stone unturned to excel in the contest,” said Shrestha.
Shrestha further says the level of performance of Nepal has gone down as compared to the past.
However, Olympian Deepak Bista who garnered the highest number of gold cups in Taekwondo is hopeful of winning many gold cups.
“Players, coaches, and officials are worried about not performing in the subsequent editions as better as in the eight SAG. Taekwondo is the most successful event in the SAG. I am optimistic that Nepal will clinch many gold medals taking advantage of the home ground,” said Bista.
Nepal had won 14 gold cups in the eight SAG, 6 in the ninth edition, in 10th and 11th equal two gold cups each but no gold cups in the 12th edition.
Boxing Coach Deepak Maharjan is confident of winning many gold cups in the upcoming 13th SAG.
“We are practicing, currently. But the close training session is not sufficient to excel in the event. Players should get international exposure for better performance,” said Maharjan.
Phupu Lyamu Khatri had won a gold cup in Judo in the 12th edition. Nepal had won three golds in Judo out of four in the seventh SAG.
Taekwondo, Karate, Wushu, Judo, Boxing and Fencing events fall within the martial art family.
Started in 1983, a total of eight south Asian countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka – are taking part in the upcoming 13th SAG.
The 1st SAG had been held in the capital city Kathmandu, Nepal while the 12th edition had been held at Guwahati and Shillong from in 2016.
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