Kathmandu: Paralympic table tennis player Keshav Thapa and coach Basant Bharti left for Thailand on Monday morning for the Paralympic World Qualification Tournament 2024.
Keshav Thapa went to Thailand to compete in class 3 of the wheelchair category in the Paralympics to be held in Thailand from May 23 to 26. Only world-ranked players can compete in that game, and Keshav Thapa, a para table tennis player in Nepal, is the only world-ranked player. Similarly, coach Basant Bharti has also gone to Thailand with him.
In the Paralympic World Qualification Tournament, in which athletes from many countries around the world will participate, the world-ranked athletes from 15 countries will compete in the wheelchair competition in class 3. The players who win the game will be directly selected for the Paralympics to be held in Paris, the capital of France, in August and September.
In order for the players and coaches to participate in the competition, Vikash Shield, under the service of Sunder Dhok located in Lalitpur Bagdol, has sponsored the air tickets, necessary materials for the games, and medical insurance. In addition, Gokarneshwar Municipality has pledged NRS 50,000 in financial support.
Omnath Sivakoti, the treasurer of the National Paralympic Committee, has also expressed his commitment to support the athletes and coaches. In order to participate in the game, according to the rules of the organizers, they have to pay 960 euros per person to the organizers for the entrance and accommodation fee, and the players and coaches have to personally invest about 1 lakh each.
Players and coaches said that if Bikas Shield did not sponsor air tickets and sports materials, Nepal would not have participated in the tournament. Keshav Thapa, a sportsperson, says that despite informing the National Sports Council and applying to participate in games like the Paralympic selection, there is no hearing from anybody.
To boost the spirits of the players, the team of Bikash Shield, including Treasurer of the National Paralympic Committee Omnath Sivakoti and Executive Director of Sundar Dhoka Sathi Sewa, Bijeta Adhikari, reached the airport to bid farewell.
There is a need for a long-term plan in sports to provide necessary support from the government for the encouragement of athletes with disabilities. For the sports development of the nation, the best players do not look for opportunities; the state can only create the culture of finding the best players. As the sports sector gains momentum, it is necessary for the government to pay attention to this soon.
Who are the players—Keshav Thapa and Coach Basant Bharti?
Keshav Thapa is a national champion in wheelchair table tennis held in Nepal.
Keshav Thapa represented the country in the Para Asian Games 2018 in Indonesia, the Para Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou, China, Taiwan, Japan, Poland, Thailand, and Bangladesh, and won the gold medal in Bangladesh.
Thapa, who was disabled due to spinal paralysis 13 years ago, was born in Dhawalagiri District 7, Dharapani, Myagdi, and has been living in Gokarneshwar Municipality Ward No. 8 for the past 12 years.
Coach Basant Bharti is a coach who has completed the responsibility of Nepali table tennis coach at the 4th Para Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Coach Bharti Para is an internationally recognized table tennis coach. He is a permanent resident of Gokarneshwar municipality, ward number 8.