Raipur, March 28: Karnataka has emerged as the first state to win over ten gold medals at the Khelo India Tribal Games, showcasing an impressive performance on the third day of the event held at the International Swimming Pool. The host state, Chhattisgarh, also had a remarkable day, securing one silver and two bronze medals.
Swimmer Manikant L. led the Karnataka team, adding two gold and one silver medal to his tally. By the end of the day, Karnataka had accumulated a total of 13 gold, 5 silver, and 1 bronze medal. Odisha followed in second place with 6 gold, 2 silver, and 9 bronze medals, while Assam secured third place with 2 gold, 4 silver, and 2 bronze medals. Both Chhattisgarh and Tripura shared the seventh position, each with six medals, including three silver and three bronze.
For Chhattisgarh, Anushka Bhagat earned the third silver medal in the women’s 50-meter breaststroke event. Nikhil Jalko claimed his second bronze medal in the men’s 50-meter breaststroke, while Nyasa Paikra secured a bronze in the 100-meter butterfly, becoming the third athlete from Chhattisgarh to reach the podium.
The inaugural edition of the Khelo India Tribal Games features participation from 30 states and union territories, with approximately 3,800 athletes competing in nine different sports. A total of 106 gold medals are at stake across various disciplines, including archery, athletics, football, hockey, swimming, weightlifting, and wrestling, along with traditional games like Mallakhamb and Kabaddi.
After three days of competition, 14 states have won at least one medal, with six states claiming at least one gold. Arunachal Pradesh and Maharashtra opened their gold medal accounts on Friday. Anai Wangsu from Arunachal Pradesh won gold in the women’s 58 kg weightlifting category, while Tanvi Dhurve from Maharashtra topped the women’s 100-meter butterfly event, becoming the first swimmer not from Karnataka or Odisha to achieve this feat.
Tanvi, who recently completed her 10th-grade exams, expressed her joy, stating, “I have been swimming for the past eight years, and my family has been my inspiration. My father, Sukdev, was an international open water swimmer, and my brother, Sarthak, is a national gold medalist in water polo. I am thrilled to have won a medal at Khelo India.”
Karnataka’s Meghanjali secured her third gold medal in the women’s 50-meter breaststroke with a time of 38.23 seconds, while Anushka Bhagat finished second with a time of 39.57 seconds, marking the third consecutive time she missed the top spot.
In men’s events, Manikant began the day by winning gold in both the 50-meter breaststroke and 100-meter butterfly. However, in the final race of the day, his teammate Dhunesh N. surpassed him in the 50-meter freestyle, finishing with a time of 25.75 seconds, while Manikant clocked 26.38 seconds.
In the weightlifting competition, Anai Wangsu from Arunachal Pradesh lifted a total of 169 kg to win gold in the women’s 58 kg category, while Bidu Smita Bhoi from Odisha secured gold in the women’s 63 kg category with a total lift of 195 kg. Following this, Richin Chongruju doubled Arunachal Pradesh’s gold count by lifting a total of 269 kg in the men’s 79 kg category, while Mizoram took home silver and bronze medals.