Nepal’s Kajal Shrestha Selected as Referee for 5th Asian Para Games and World Poomsae Championships
SIMARA: International Taekwondo referee Kajal Shrestha from Nepal has been selected to officiate as a referee at the 5th Asian Para Games, set to take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from October 18 to 24. The selection by the World Taekwondo Federation marks a historic milestone, making her the first female international referee from Nepal to be selected for the Asian Para Games.
Prior to her duty at the Asian Para Games, Shrestha will travel to South Korea in September to officiate at the Chuncheon World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships. This appointment will also make her the first Nepalese female international referee to judge at the World Poomsae Championships.
Shrestha has already built an impressive officiating record on the international stage. She has recently served as a referee at the World Para Taekwondo Open Challenge and the Chuncheon Korea Open International Taekwondo Championships in South Korea, the World Taekwondo Junior Championships in Uzbekistan, the Australian Open, the President’s Cup, the 2026 Oceania Championships, and the Asian Games in Mongolia.
Before transitioning into officiating, Shrestha was a prominent national athlete who brought honor to the country by winning a gold medal for Nepal at the 13th South Asian Games. Expressing her delight over her ongoing selections, she shared her pride in continuing to elevate Nepal’s presence in international sports, now from the referee’s chair.
