Table tennis: Dashain tournaments conclude, Gananjaya-Shekhar pair champions at Hopes

Two table tennis tournaments held on the occasion of Dashain have concluded. In the friendly doubles tournament organised by Hopes Table Tennis Academy in Balkumari, the pair of Gananjaya Dahal and Shekhar Shrestha became champions.

In the final, the pair defeated Rivan Bajracharya and Rizan Shakya 5-11, 11-8, 11-3, 3-11, 12-10. Gananjaya's partner Shekhar, who has played at the 20th Asian Games, is 68 years old.

Forty pairs took part in the one-day tournament, which allowed either male-male or male-female pairings. In the tournament, held under the main sponsorship of Suman Khadgi, the winners received a cash prize of Rs 40,000 and the runners-up Rs 20,000.

Meanwhile, in Gwarko, Yale Sports Academy organised its first Dashain table tennis tournament on Saturday, Asoj 24, with men's events held in four age groups. In the final of the over-30 category, Bilash Shrestha of APF defeated fellow APF player Rajiv Chikanbanjar.

In the over-40 category, Bimalraj Ghimire won gold by defeating Rajkumar Khadgi. In the over-50 category, Jayaram Maharjan of AVM finished first. In the over-60 category, Prakash Dhakhwa of Kholcha Pokhari won gold and Robindra Maharjan of Kirtipur took silver.