Bhaktapur – Suryabinayak Municipality has secured the overall championship at the province-level Karate Tournament held in Bhaktapur by winning five gold and one silver medal. The tournament, named the Bagmati Province Inter-Municipal Mayor’s Cup, saw participation from over 210 athletes across 15 local levels from 13 districts of the province.
Gokarneshwar Municipality placed second with three golds, one silver, and three bronze medals, while Kathmandu Metropolitan City stood third with two golds, one silver, and five bronzes.
In the individual categories, Raj Blon from Godawari Municipality was awarded Best Male Player, while Ashika Tamang from Sanga Chowk Gadhi, Chautara claimed the Best Female Player title.
The tournament was organized by the Suryabinayak Municipality Shitoryu Karate Association with special sponsorship from the Suryabinayak Municipality. The event was officially inaugurated by Bagmati Province Minister of Health, Kiran Thapa Magar, and kicked off with sports equipment handover by Province Assembly Member Suresh Shrestha. The closing and award ceremony was presided over by Mayor Basudev Thapa, along with ward chairpersons Pradeep Karki (Ward-2) and Bhagawan Khatri (Ward-9).
According to organizing committee coordinator Ramsharan Twati, 120 male and 90 female athletes competed in 15 weight categories ranging from 35 kg to 67+ kg for men and up to 61 kg for women. Kata (individual and team) events were also included.
The matches were conducted following rules set by the World Karate Federation (WKF), Asian Karate Federation (AKF), and Nepal Karate Federation (NKF). Chief referee Prakash Mohan Dhaundel oversaw the tournament.
Karate Association Chair Krishna Ram Jakibanjara stated that individuals contributing significantly to karate’s development were honored during the event. The tournament was praised for promoting emerging athletes and expanding the reach of martial arts in the province.