Kaski, April 28 ,, Makoto Odakura of Japan has clinched the Asian Cup Triathlon Championship held in Pokhara. Odakura completed the triathlon in 54 minutes 17 seconds and won gold medal, outpacing 19 competitors.
The triathlon included 750 metres distance swim in the Phewa lake, 20 kilometres cycling and five kilometers race.
Similarly, Dan Maktos of Poland won silver medal. He clocked 54 minutes 34 seconds. Jee Hwan Kim of Korea came in the third position clocking 55 minutes and 02 seconds. He won the bronze medal.
The championship was organised by Nepal Triathlon Association with the technical assistance of the International Triathlon Union.
In the women’s competition, Korean athlete Aei Jin clinched the gold medal by completing the triathlon in one hour two minutes and 56 seconds. Japan’s Konami Yasioda came in the second position. She won the silver medal completing the race in one hour three minutes and 51 seconds. Naomi Takamine of Japan came out third and won the bronze medal. She clocked one hour four minutes and 55 seconds.
Nineteen male athletes and eight women athletes from Nepal, Japan, Korea, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Poland, Australia, India and Bangladesh had participated in the Championship.
Likewise, Nepal’s Basanta Tharu has clinched the seventh edition of the South Asian Triathlon Championship in the men’s group. He completed the triathlon distance in one hour three minutes and 58 seconds. Tharu won a gold medal.
India’s Lokesh Kumar Babuji came in the second position and won a silver medal. He clocked one hour seven minutes and 13 seconds while Nitesh Manandhar of Nepal became third and won a bronze medal. Manandhar completed the triathlon in one hour eight minutes.
In the women’s competition, Pragnya Mohan and Monica Mukeshbhai Nagpuri of India clinched the first and second position respectively, winning the gold and silver medal. Sony Gurung of Nepal came out third in the competition and won the bronze medal.
Chief Minister of the Gandaki State, Prithvi Subba Gurung among other officials gave away the medals and prizes to the winners.