Karateka Bimala Tamang won the bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Games held in Incheon, South Korea, becoming the only Nepali athlete to bring home a medal. A student of Management, Tamang now has her eyes set on the gold.
What did you feel after your win?
I was very happy to have won a medal for my country. My friends and well wishers were all equally happy.
How will your victory influence your sporting career?
Winning a bronze is great but it’s not enough. I now want to win gold and for that to happen, I have to work harder and focus all my energy and effort into my game.
How did you motivate yourself to train when the selection committee hadn’t even finalised your name?
My coach Dhruba Malla has been very encouraging and supportive. During the selection round, I defeated Chanchala Danuwar, who had participated in ASIAD before. The win was a huge boost for both me and my coach who made sure I trained harder.
What do you think should be done to improve the results of Nepali athletes at international competitions?
There’s always a lot of controversy during athlete selection process for international events. It was the same case during ASIAD. Such things hamper an athlete’s psychology and eventually their performance. An athlete needs full support from all sectors to perform to the best of their abilities.