Karishma betters personal record

KATHMANDU, Aug. 15: Swimmer Karishma Karki bettered her personal record but failed to advance into the semifinal of the women’s 50-meter freestyle Friday in Beijing Olympics.

Karki, who earned the wild card entry after clocking 34.57 seconds at the 2007 World Championship in Australia, today finished her pool with the timing of 32.35 seconds to remain second in Heat 2 at National Aquatic Center.

She bettered her record set at 2007 World Championship by 2.22 seconds.

Zakia Nassar of Palestine topped with 31.97 seconds in Heat 2 that included eight swimmers. All the swimmers from the Heat 2 were unable to qualify for semi-finals as they failed to come with best timing.

She was 1.8 seconds short from breaking a national record set by Runa Pradhan in the women’s 50-meter freestyle. Pradhan holds the national record with the time of 31.28 seconds.

Meanwhile RSS adds that three Nepali athletes and their coaches left Beijing Friday for Nepal after their participation in the ongoing Summer Games.

Those who left Beijing today are shooting player Phool Maya Kyapchhaki and her coach Pradip Khati, Judoka Debu Thapa and her coach Birendra Ranjeet and weightlifter Kamal Bahadur Adhikari and his coach Partha Sarathi Sen Gupta.