Jun 25,  Kathmandu- Nepal Sports Journalists Forum, Gandaki has made public the nominations for the four categories of the annual 'Pokhara Sports Award'.

The forum has made public the nominations of Player of the Year (Women, Men), Emerging Player of the Year, and Best Coach through a press conference in Pokhara on Saturday.

According to Rajaram Poudel, General Secretary of the Forum, Vidhan Adhikari from Badminton, Buddha Lama from Karate and Pradip Khadka from Tennis have been selected for the Men's Player of the Year at the 6th Pokhara Sports Arwad to be held at Pokhara Assembly Hall on July 2.

Aruna Shahi from volleyball, Manisha Upadhyay from cricket, and Sargam Kumal from karate have been selected as the best female player of the year. Darshil Shrestha from tennis, Shrishti Jaisi from cricket, and Shahil Limbu from boxing have been selected as the emerging players of the year.

According to Poudel, Rijan Praju from cricket, Rekhmaya Gurung from taekwondo, and Niraj Thapa from tennis have been nominated as the best coaches. Gurung, who has been nominated as the best instructor from Taekwondo, has been teaching fencing lately.

Binod Lamichhane, former chairman of the forum and coordinator of the player selection sub-committee, said that only four categories were nominated at the initial stage as the forum was distributing prizes in seven categories.

Lifetime Achievement Award, Best Sports Association, and Best Sports Journalist of the Year will be announced later. "The players have been nominated on the basis of their achievements so far", said coordinator Lamichhane.

The winners of the Lifetime Achievement Award will receive silver carpets, trophies, and bronze medals, while the players (men and women) will receive electric scooters and trophies, said Suraj Shrestha, co-coordinator of the original organizing committee.

According to Shrestha, emerging players, coaches, sports journalists, and sports associations will get the same amount of Rs 35,000 and trophies this year. "The players in the top three nominees will also get the trophy", he said.