Kathmandu, Nepal, November 24, 2019: The Olympic Torch Relay of the 13th South Asian Games got underway in Swoyambhu, Nepal, on Friday, November 23.Olympian and Nepal’s first international medal winning athlete KC Jit Bahadur was given the honour of being the first torchbearer. National Sports Council Member Secretary Ramesh Kumar Silwal will hand over the torch to Jit Bahadur. “We will take the torch to all seven provinces of the country before returning to Kathmandu,” revealed Deepak Shrestha, two-time South Asian Games gold medallist in karate and President of Nepal National and International Players Association, who will also participate in the torch relay. The association has been given the responsibility by the National Sports Council of organising the torch relay. Olympian Jit Bahadur will be joined by three-time South Asian Games gold medallist, marathoner Baikuntha Manandhar, taekwondo ace Deepak Bista, athletes Rajendra Bhandari, Gyan Bahadur Bohora, Raj Kumari Pandey, Kanchhi Maya Koju and Mukunda Hari Shrestha, swimmer Nayana Shakya, boxer Umesh Maskey and judoka Debu Thapa in carrying the torch to different parts of the country. The torch relay will go through Biratnagar, Janakpur – the host city of wrestling – Hetauda, Chitwan, Lumbini, Butwal, Surkhet, Nepalgunj, Dhangadhi, Pokhara – venue for eight sports disciplines – before returning to Kathmandu on December 1 to light the cauldron at the Dasharath Stadium during the Opening Ceremony. More than 5,000 delegates, including 3,250 athletes will take part in the regional showcase which will feature 26 sports after paragliding was cut from the schedule due to lack of entries. There will be a total of 1135 medals at the South Asian Games – 324 gold, 324 silver and 487 bronze. Source: The HImalayan Times
South Asian Games Torch Relay to take in all seven provinces in Nepal
