KATHMANDU: The National Sports Council (NSC) welcomed the team, including the medal winners of the 15th South Asian Bodybuilding Competition, on Sunday.

NSC member-secretary Tankalal Ghising, NSC executive committee member Kamal Bahadur Bhattarai and others welcomed the team to the NSC in Tripureshwor and congratulated them on their success. Earlier on Sunday, the team was welcomed at the international airport by executive committee member Bhattarai, first vice-president of the Nepal Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation Vijayalal Kayashth, along with officials, players, coaches, well-wishers, family members and others.

Nepal won 1 gold and 3 silver medals in the competition held in Thimphu, Bhutan from 10th to 13th Jestha. Five players, 3 men and 2 women, participated from Nepal.

Urmila Shrestha won gold for Nepal in the women’s athletic physique event. Sheela Thakuri won silver in the same event.

In the men’s 55 kg weight category, Sharad Suwal won silver and in the men’s sports physique below 175 cm, Avtar Shrestha won silver. In the men’s sports physique above 175 cm, Pranish Shrestha finished in fifth place.

At the welcome ceremony, Member-Secretary Ghising said that the team has won international medals in physical fitness to promote the nation and congratulated the players for making all Nepalis happy by winning medals.

He said about physical fitness sports – ‘The specialty and identity of this sport is that you don’t come away empty-handed.’

Vijayalal Kayashtha, First Vice President of the Nepal Bodybuilding Federation, recalled that bodybuilding has been bringing medals to the nation in every international competition.

Secretary of Bodybuilding Dinush Kumar Rajbhandari, who went to Bhutan as an official with the team, informed that discussions were also held in Bhutan regarding organizing the World Bodybuilding Championship in Nepal in 2027.

Suresh Subedi as manager, Rujesh Shahi as coach, Dipendra Kumar Pyakurel as judge, and Ramesh Shrestha and Balmukunda Awal as assistants went to Bhutan.