Ratis, Sabina win inter-school chess titles

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Feb 8: Ratis Shrestha of New Summit School and Sabina Sahi of Annapurna Higher Secondary School Friday won the titles in the boys and girls categories of the inter-school chess competition respectively.

The competition was played here on the basis of ‘Best-of-Two-Knockout’ under the aegis of Asian College of Higher Studies to mark the golden jubilee of Anandakuti Vidhyapeeth.

Prabin Chand Tiwari of Little Angeles and Subita Pradhan of Annapurna Higher Secondary School bagged second prizes in the boys and girls categories respectively.

In today’s final matches, Ratis beat Prabin in two straight sets while Sabina struggled hard to overpower her fellow schoolmate Subita in the third and final play. The girls had the tie in the first and second sets.

Similarly, Ramila Maharjan also of Annapurna HS School defeated Nilu Basnet of Shree Kumari High School to bag third prize in the girls final.

In the match played to decide the third position in the boys’ category, Mukesh Verma of Little Angeles defeated Suryodaya Jyoti School’s Sudeep Rokka in the two straight sets.

Altogether 35 boys and 16 girls from different schools of the Valley had participated in the tournament. The participants securing first, second, third and fourth positions in the competition would be awarded, according to the organisers.

First Nepalese Winter Olympian

By Sushil Thapa

Winchester, VA, US – With the XIX Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake, Utah just around the corner, there is something to cheer and talk about. Never before in the 78 years old history of the games has Nepal participated. But the story will change soon.

Believe it or not when the mega spectacle kicks off at Rice-Eccles Olympic Stadium on 8 February, a Nepali will proudly parade along with hundreds of international athletes in front of a massive crowd.

The athlete representing Nepal needs no formal introduction. He is well known nationally and internationally. He is no other than Jaya Khadka, the adopted son of British millionaire Richard Morley.

It was Morley’s painstaking fight against the British government over Khadka’s adoption that made international headlines. It took him seven arduous years to make the British government accept the adoption.

Khadka, 25 is a sports enthusiast. His boyhood dream was to represent Nepal in an international meet.

Today he is only days away from fulfilling it. When he steps on the ice he will become the first Nepali winter games Olympian. The day is bound to be very, very special for him and Nepal.

Jay’s specialty is the giant slalom but he will compete in the 10 km cross country event. Though he stands a very slim chance to come up trumps but he hopes to finish the two courses.

For someone like Jay who hails from a country where winter sports is unknown and not in existence Nepal’s representation at the Olympics is matter of pride to the country.