By Sachit Subba • Other Sports • Sep 01, 2026 15:31 PM • 57 views
At the Hardik Fitness Club 29th Anniversary Tournament in Pulchowk, Subarna Shah won two gold medals in pickleball, while Prajil Bhattarai and Bianca Rai won the top singles titles in table tennis. The doubles pickleball event brought together outstanding local players to mark nearly three decades of community fitness.
Shah won all the pickleball matches during the weekend. In the men's singles final, he beat Pranav Khanal 11 to 4 and 11 to 1, giving him no chances to score. Shah controlled the baseline rallies and quickly finished off the points at the net.
The momentum carried straight into the doubles section, where Shah played with Samir Pokharel in the final match against Lakshay Bikram Shah and Anish Adhikari. Shah and Pokharel defeated their opponents, winning the first game 11 to 5 and the second 11 to 2 to secure the main prize.
Other matches required determination. Ayush Shrestha secured third place in the men's singles after a tough three-game match against Manoj Kumar. He won the first game 11 to 3, lost the second 5 to 11, then recovered to win the final game 11 to 8. In the doubles competition, the third-place match also featured a comeback. Krish Agrawal and Manoj Kumar lost the first game 10 to 12 to Rohit Chamling and Bed Kumar Tamang. They adjusted their position on the court and won the next two games 11 to 7 and 11 to 7 to take the bronze medal.
The level of play on the table tennis tables matched that on the pickleball courts. Prajil Bhattarai won the men's singles title by beating Himal Bista in the final, while Alex Maharjan finished third. Bianca Rai won the women's singles championship by overcoming runner-up Diya Deula, and Arsana Maharjan took third place.
Experienced players also performed at a high level. Thakur Thapa won the veteran men's singles section, Chandan Shahi finished second, and Dharma Raj Thapa secured third place.
The tournament sponsors awarded cash prizes of 30,000, 15,000, and 5,000 Nepali rupees for first, second, and third place, respectively. The champions also received gift hampers and free memberships to the Hardik Fitness Club. The turnout of dozens of competitors from both sports points to strong and growing demand for competitive athletic events in the capital.
