NATIONAL7Spotlight Weekly)]

Low Expectations

Nepal sets its sights much lower than the 31 gold medals it won during the Kathmandu games two years ago

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

It will be very difficult, if not impossible, for Nepal to meet the standard it set during the Eighth South Asian Games two years ago in Kathmandu, where it won 31 gold medals and was placed second, behind mighty India.

That was the first time Nepal had won so many gold medals and stood in second place in the nearly two-decade history of the South Asian Federation Games.

Beside losing the home-ground advantage in the upcoming Ninth SAF Games to be held in Islamabad, Pakistan, Nepal will have to endure the cutdown of some of the disciplines that helped it reap so many gold medals last time.

As many as 28 of the 31 golds that Nepal won last time came from two disciplines of martial art — karate and taekwondo, with female athletes chipping in with the bounty. Boxing and swimming had roped in the remaining three gold medals.

In the Islamabad SAF, the women karate discipline has been withdrawn. In taekwondo, too, only three weight discipline will be held for women. "We are expecting a fewer number of medals than we bagged last time," said an official at the National Sports Council (NSC). The official said one of the major reasons why Nepal won so many medals in the last SAF games was because the tournament was held in home turf. "The host country advantage will definitely go to Pakistan this time."

During the Eighth SAF games, 12 games were included. Islamabad has badminton and squash added to the list of games. Fourteen games that will be played in Pakistan include athletics, boxing, football, Kabaddi, karate, shooting, swimming, table-tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, weight-lifting, wrestling, badminton and squash. Nepal will be fielding athletes in all 14 sports.

Nepal, as usual, pins much hope on martial art sports like taekwondo and karate. Boxing, weight-lifting and football are other sports where the country can expect to win medals.

The major worry this time, however, could be the lack of full preparation. "Such was the environment in the country in the aftermath of the royal tragedy that preparations could not be held in advance," said another official at the NSC.

Around 150 Nepalese athletes will be participating in the Islamabad games. The date for the games has been fixed for October 6-15.