Karate sensation Erika Gurung and Olympic table tennis player Syantu Shrestha have been crowned the best athletes of the year at the 20th NNIPA Sports Award 2081. The prestigious ceremony, organized by the Nepal National and International Players Association (NNIPA), was held on Friday at the Chandeshwori Temple premises in Banepa, marking the first time the event has taken place outside the Kathmandu Valley.
Syantu Shrestha earned the distinction following his historic qualification for the Paris Olympics, becoming only the third Nepali athlete to reach the games through the South Asian qualification phase. Joining him at the top was Erika Gurung, who secured her second consecutive "Best Player" title. Gurung’s remarkable year included a bronze medal at the Karate 1 Premier League in Morocco and a gold at the Australian Open.
Both premier awardees were granted a cash prize of one lakh rupees each. Upon receiving the honor, Erika Gurung expressed immense excitement, stating that the back-to-back recognition serves as a powerful source of motivation for her future sporting endeavors.
The talent-focused awards were presented to Taekwondo’s Abhishek Baral and boxer Swastika Tiruwa. Baral was recognized for his silver medal at the 6th Kasad Asian Taekwondo Championship, while Tiruwa was honored for her gold medal at the ISF Gymnasiade Summer Games. In the para-athlete category, Prabha Angdambe of athletics received a special honor for her contributions.
In addition to active players, the association paid tribute to veterans and contributors. Women’s volleyball coach Kumar Rai received the Gajaraj Joshi Ideal Sports Personality Award, and veteran photojournalist Udipta Singh Chhetri was presented with the NNIPA Journalism Award. Both received 35,000 rupees for their long-standing dedication to Nepali sports.
The event featured a diverse list of 26 individual sport winners, ranging from football's Preeti Rai to athletics' Santoshi Shrestha, showcasing the breadth of talent currently representing Nepal. This collective recognition underscores a growing commitment to celebrating athletic excellence across various disciplines beyond the capital.
