South Asian Street Defense from Saturday

Kathmandu. The first South Asian Street Defense competition organized by the Nepal Jitkundo Martial Arts Association is scheduled to be held from Saturday. 70 players from Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will participate in the competition, informed the organizing association’s chairman Ram Bahadur Thakuri at a press conference held on Thursday.

There will be 7 events, 5 for men and 2 for women. Men will compete in the weight groups of under 55 kg, under 60 kg, under 65 kg, under 70 kg and over 70 kg. Women will compete in the weight groups of under 55 kg and over 55 kg.

The organizing association’s general secretary and chief coach Shiva Bahadur Thapa informed that cash prizes have been set for each weight group. The total prize money is 350,000 rupees. The total prize money for each event is 50,000 rupees. The organizers have stated that the amount to be given to the gold, silver and bronze medal winners will be decided before the competition. South Asian Street Defense is being held in Nepal for the first time.

The organizers have stated that the tournament, which will be sponsored by Tokha Municipality, will cost an estimated Rs 2.2 million to run. The two-day tournament will be held at the National Table Tennis Training Center in Lainchaur.

The ninth Tedwang Jitkundo seminar has started in Battis Putali from Thursday with the aim of the tournament. Players and coaches are participating on the first day of the two-day seminar. A referee seminar will be held on the second day, Friday. Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan will participate in both programs.

Head coach Joaquin Marcelo of Spain and assistant coach Michael Zapla of Poland will conduct the seminar. They will be assisted by head coach Thapa.