The Nepalese karate team will undergo training in Tokyo, Japan, from September 6 to 16 as part of their preparation for the Asian Games. Representing Nepal in the Asian Games karate category are Rakesh Manandhar, Min Bahadur Tamang, Tenzing Sherpa, Erica Gurung, Nirupa Dong Tamang, and Sanumaya Thing. The team was seen off by key officials, including Minister Sashmit Pokharel, at Tribhuvan International Airport on Friday. (September 19, Kathmandu)
The Nepal karate team has chosen to conduct additional training for the 20th Asian Games in Japan itself. They will train at the World Shitoryu Karate main dojo in Tokyo from September 6 to 16. The team departed for Japan on Friday. Among the 22 Nepalese athletes participating in the Asian Games, the karate team is the first to head to Japan. After training in Tokyo, the team will travel to Nagoya on September 17 to compete in the Games. The karate competition is scheduled from September 20 to 23.
In the men’s categories, Rakesh Manandhar will compete under 55 kg, Min Bahadur Tamang under 60 kg, and Tenzing Sherpa over 84 kg. In the women’s categories, Erica Gurung, who won a historic silver medal at the 19th Asian Games, will compete over 68 kg, Nirupa Dong Tamang under 68 kg, and Sanumaya Thing will participate in individual kata. Sanumaya, alongside Alisa Raskoti and Megha Limbu, will also take part in the team kata event. The coaches for the team are Kushal Shrestha and Mandekaji Shrestha.
Following the Asian Games karate event, the same team will participate in the 11th Shitoryu Karate International Championship held by the World Shitoryu Karate Federation in Yokohama, Japan, from September 25 to 27. Nepal has so far won 1 silver and 3 bronze medals in various versions of the Asian Games karate competition. The team was bid farewell on Friday at Tribhuvan International Airport by Education and Sports Minister Sashmit Pokharel, Vice-Chairman of the National Sports Council (NSC) Vishal Shrestha, NSC member-secretary Ramcharitra Mehta, senior advisors Siddhi Byanjankar and Raju Singh from the Ministry of Education and Sports, former NSC member-secretary and Nepal Karate Federation President Yubaraj Lama, NSC executive committee member Sikka Suwal Shrestha, and Nepal Karate Federation General Secretary Dawa Gurung.
Minister Pokharel expressed high expectations from the athletes but urged them to participate without pressure and wished them great success. Historic medalist Erica Gurung emphasized the importance of the Asian Games and said she is committed to achieving outstanding results.
