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Opening Day of Bhutan’s inaugural Thimphu Baseball League kicked off on June 15th, 2014, with the Thimphu Eagles defending their home field against the Druk Minups. As the Minups first took the field under the grueling afternoon sun to commence the season, the Eagles opened with an explosive offensive, taking an early 1-0 advantage in the 1st inning and extending the lead to 4-0 by the end of the 2nd. The Minups bats were lifeless until the 3rd inning, when Namcha (3-6, 2R, 2RBI) kicked off the first of a combination of hits that cut the Eagles’ lead to 4-3. The Minups added three more in the following inning to create a 6-4 lead, but the Eagles’ returned the favor in the 5th on base hits by Tandin Norbu (1-4, RBI) and Kin Thinley (3-4, 2 2B, R, RBI) to tie the game at 6-6. The Eagles demonstrated their assumed strength in pitching, striking out 11 Minup batters in 7 innings, with outstanding performances from Sonam Dhendup (1.2IP, 2K, 0ER) and Nadik (2IP, 5K, 0ER) that kept the Eagles in contention until the Minups bats finally broke the 6-6 tie in the 6th inning. The Minups batted around the order in the 6th, hitting safely as a team with the first eleven consecutive batters. Scoring eight runs in the inning, the Minups took the lead and never looked back. The Eagles offense, led by Tamiki (3-4, 2B, R, 2RBI), Rinchen (2-3, 2B, 3B, 2R, RBI) and Kin Thinley, went silent in the final innings resulting from a few base running errors and a couple outstanding assists by the Minups’ defense. While all Minups hit safely in at least two at bats, the heart of the order, consisting of Matt DeSantis (5-6, 3 2B, 3R, 4RBI), Nave (4-6, 2B, 2R, 4RBI), and Jerumy Tobgye (5-6, 2B, 2R, 2RBI), went a combined 14 for 18.  Inning-eaters Vinay Thapa (3.1IP, K, 3ER) and Dorji Gyeltshen (2.2IP, 2K, 4ER) controlled the Eagles’ persistent offensive threats for 6 innings and, as the thunder roared and the rain began to drench the field, reliever Jerumy ‘Wild Thang’ Tobgye came in to close the game by striking out the last two batters. The Minups ran off the field soaked from head to toe, carrying a 16-7 victory under their belt. Both the Minups and Eagles are scheduled to play the BCCB Bulls on Saturday, June 21st. We encourage all to come watch a moment of history as we enter week 2 of the inaugural baseball season in Bhutan!

Bhutan Olympic Committee (BOC) and the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) jointly announce the availability of up to 20 sports scholarships subject to the guidelines for the academic year 2014. The scholarship will cover all tuition and boarding costs for 3 years. Applicants who meet the RUB admissions criteria with outstanding sporting achievements may apply. Please download the application form and guideline from the download tab. The forms can also be collected from the BOC office at Changlimethang, Thimphu. Application forms can be submitted to the BOC Office. Self-financed students who have been selected by the University may also apply. The deadline for submission is June 2, 2014. The scholarship awards will be announced on the BOC and RUB websites after the selection. For more information, log onto our website or call us at 322508 during office hours.

The three day championship concluded on the 11th May, 2014 and saw 51 participants from all walks of life, out of which 40 were male and 11 were female. The Bhutan Chess Federation in collaboration with Bhutan Olympic Committee and the Department of Youth and Sports under the Ministry of Education organized the championship. The winners of the championship were awarded cash prizes and all participants were given FIDE identity card, which regard them as international chess players. The top five winners will be representing Bhutan at the Chess Olympiad in Norway this August, Chess Olympiad is a periodic chess tournament in which teams from across the world compete against each other. The results from the championship listed below: Starting rank No. Name FED Rtg 1 CHEDA BHU 0 2 CHETEN DHENDUP BHU 0 3 CHHETRI NOVEN BHU 0 4 DAHAL GOVINDA BHU 0 5 DECHAY UGYEN BHU 0 6 DEM PHUB BHU 0 7 DEM YESHI BHU 0 8 DENDUP PEMA BHU 0 9 DHENDUP PALDEN BHU 0 10 DORJI JAMYANG BHU 0 11 DORJI PEMPA BHU 0 12 DORJI SANGAY BHU 0 13 DORJI SONAM BHU 0 14 DORJI THSERING BHU 0 15 GURUNG KESHAV RAJ BHU 0 16 GYELTSHEN KARMA BHU 0 17 JAMTSHO BHU 0 18 JAMTSHO YONTEN BHU 0 19 KARMA THUENZAIR SHAUN BHU 0 20 LAWANG SANGAY BHU 0 21 LHADEN UGYEN BHU 0 22 MISHRA AYUSH BHU 0 23 NAMCHA TSHERING JIGDREL BHU 0 24 NATH OM BHU 0 25 NGYMTSO JIGNAM BHU 0 26 NIL WANGAY BHU 0 27 NIMA CHOKI BHU 0 28 NOA MICHAL SHMUELI BHU 0 29 NORBU BHU 0 30 OM KENCHO BHU 0 31 PENJOR TSHERING BHU 0 32 PRADHAN HIRA LAL BHU 0 33 RABGYEL TASHI BHU 0 34 RAI ANAND BHU 0 35 RAI BHIM KUMAR BHU 0 36 RAI BINOD BHU 0 37 RAI KIRAN BHU 0 38 RAI ROSHAN BHU 0 39 RANGDEL SHERUB BHU 0 40 SINGYE KARMA BHU 0 41 SINGYE KARMA BHU 0 42 SONAM KARMA BHU 0 43 SUBBA BHIM KUMAR BHU 0 44 TASHI LHAMO BHU 0 45 TASHI PEMA BHU 0 46 TCHERING DECHEN BHU 0 47 THINGH PASANGA TOBGYAL BHU 0 48 THINLAY SANGAY BHU 0 49 THINLEY KINJANG BHU 0 50 TSHERING KUENGA BHU 0 51 TSHERING TASHI BHU 0 52 WANGCHUK TANDIAN BHU 0 53 WANGDI LEKI BHU 0 54 WANGMA THINLEY BHU 0 55 WANGMO GALLAY BHU 0 56 WANGMO PEMA BHU 0 57 WANGMO YESHI BHU 0 58 YANGCHEN LWOESEL BHU 0 59 YANGDEN KARMA BHU 0 60 YANGDON PEMA BHU 0 61 YANGHCHEN LILLY BHU 0

Since 1984, Olympic Day is celebrated the anniversary of the International Olympic Committee. Olympic Day is celebrated by thousands of people in more than 160 countries, with the objective of getting as many people as possible, experiencing, the Olympic Values of move, learn and discover. Commemorating the birth of the modern Olympic Games, Olympic Day is an international effort to promote fitness and well-being, in addition to the Olympic ideals of Fair Play, Perseverance and Sportsmanship. The Bhutan Olympic Committee organized the Olympic Day Celebration, 2014 on the 2nd May at Bumthang, during the celebrations a turnout of 1600 students participated in different disciplines of sports such as Athletics, Football, Tennis, Badminton, Basketball, Shooting, Archery, Boxing and Baseball. Taking the Olympic Day to different Dzongkhags every year, is in our way, in keeping with our vision of taking sports to all youth in the country. The theme for this year is “Move, Learn and Discover”.

Male, Maldives: The South Asia Regional Anti-Doping Organization (SARADO) conducted a series of activities in Male, capital of the Maldives, from April 28 to May 1. Under the patronage of the Ministry for Youth and Sport, SARADO held its first regional seminar on anti-doping in sport, funded through the UNESCO Fund for Elimination of Doping in Sport, from April 28-29.

Seoul, Korea: Decisions made in the boardroom show up on the field of play, said longtime international Olympic Committee member Ivan Dibos of Peru, arguing for good governance at a conference Monday at the Shilla Hotel.

THIMPHU, April 23rd 2014 Recognizing the importance of developing a vibrant values based sporting culture for the development of organized sports in Bhutan, the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) and the Bhutan Olympic Committee (BOC), signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for cooperation and partnership pertaining to academic scholarships to support deserving young persons to pursue their higher education. Under the MoA, RUB and BOC jointly agrees to provide up to twenty scholarships per annum, in the colleges of the RUB, to study diploma or undergraduate programmes. The purpose is to encourage deserving young persons who demonstrate the highest level of achievement and potential in sports, and give them an opportunity to pursue their academic dreams, while also simultaneously enabling them to participate actively in sports. The Secretary General of BOC stated that, “by recognising young persons who excel in sport and providing opportunities for further improvement in both sports and academics, would contribute to promoting a vibrant values sporting culture which is crucial for the broadening of the sports base.” The Memorandum of Agreement will remain in force for a period of three years.

The Bhutan Olympic Committee is pleased to inform the general public that the Olympic Day Celebration, 2014 is scheduled on the 2nd May in Bumthang. Olympic Day is celebrated all around the world: hundreds of thousands of people – young and old – participate in sports activities, such as runs, exhibitions, music and educational seminars. Over the last two decades, the event has helped to spread the Olympic ideals to every corner of the world. Today, Olympic Day has evolved to become a key date in the Olympic Movement’s calendar and has gained momentum worldwide with last year, almost 4,000,000 participants from around the world and over 150 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) taking part. The theme for this year is “Move, Learn and Discover”. Come join us for the celebrations !

Bhutan Chess Federation in collaboration with the Bhutan Olympic Committee and the Department of Youth and Sports would like to announce the National Open Chess Tournament from 9th -11th May, 2014 Thimphu. Registration form can be downloaded from the FaceBook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bhutan-Olympic-Committee/193194684050238), Last date for registration 30th April, 2014, registration fee Senior Nu:500/ and Students Nu:200/ respectively. # The top 4 winners of the tournament will represent Bhutan in the Chess Olympiad at Tromso, Norway in August 1st -14th, 2014. For more information please contact Mr. Layke Dorji, General Secretary at 17639230 and e-mail: bhutanchess@gmail.com, and submission of registration forms.

KATHMANDU, March 26: Dechen Ugyen of Bhutan won the fourth CMS Nepal Open Amateur Golf Championship 2014 at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club on Wednesday. Dechen played even-par 72 for the 54-hole total score of one-under 215. He registered a four-stroke victory over Puwit Anupansuebsai of Thailand, who also played even-par 72 for the total of three-over 219. Dechen took the turn at two-under 34 before playing two-over 38 to return with the card of 72. On the front nine, Dechen sank an eagle on the third and added a birdie on the sixth before dropping a shot on the eighth hole. On the back nine, he saved pars on all the holes except for the par-5 12th where he faced a double bogey. “I had also played in this course two years back during the Faldo Series Nepal Championship,” said Dechen, who had finished runner-up in that event. “My putting was the strong point in this tournament as I wasted very few strokes on the greens,” he added. “I am happy to return back home with the trophy,” Dechen said. Ekkarat Leksuwan, also from Thailand, came third on count back after he was tied with Sajib Ali of Bangladesh at six-over 222. Leksuwan played two-over 74, while Ali shot 76 in the final round. Tashi Ghale and Sanjeev CK of Nepal and Dallas Reid of Hong Kong finished as top three players respectively on count back in the nett section after they were tied on 221. Tashi & Sanjeev played five-over 77, while Dallas shot 10-over 82. Bangladeshi team of Mohammad Nazim and Sajib Ali won the team event title with the total score of five-over 293, while Thailand’s Ekkarat Leksuwan and Puwit Anusuebsai came second at 295 and Indian team of Simarjeet Singh and Ankur Chadha finished third at 296. In Senior category (above-55yrs), Maj LP Gurung of Pokhara won with the two-day total of 164, while Bhairaja Pandey of Kathmandu finished runner-up at 178. Tourism and Civil Aviation Secretary Sushil Ghimire, ISME Chairman Nagender K Pampati, President of Nepal Olympic Committee Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan, President of NGA Madhukar Yakthumba among others handed over the prizes to the winners. The tournament was sponsored by International Society for Medical Studies (ISME) Pvt Ltd, while Gokarna Golf Club, The Yakthumbas, Himalayan Bank, Vinayak Health Care Centre, John Players, N Entertainment, Samsung and Mountain Sports Federation under National Sports Council were the co-sponsors and supporters of the event organised by Nepal Golf Association.