Day 2 at the 38th National Games:
By Anukriti Srivastava
Dehradun, 30 jan: The second day of the 38th National Games in Uttarakhand was filled with exciting competitions, showcasing remarkable performances from athletes across a range of sports. The day featured everything from Wushu and swimming to weightlifting and triathlon, packed with action and record-setting achievements.
In weightlifting, Rishikanta Singh from Services excelled in the men’s 61kg category, achieving a total lift of 273 kg to claim the gold medal. Sanket Sargar from Maharashtra earned the silver, while Subham Todkar took home the bronze. In the women’s 49kg category, Gyaneshwari Yadav from Chhattisgarh won gold with a personal best lift of 191kg (85+106). In the men’s 55kg category, Vijay Kumar secured Chhattisgarh’s first gold medal of the competition by lifting 248kg (105+143). Additionally, Sufna Jasmin from Kerala triumphed in the women’s 45kg weightlifting event, lifting a total of 159kg (72+87).
In Wushu, the Sanda competition kicked off with fierce matches. Isha Gurjan from Uttarakhand triumphed in her bout in the women’s 60kg category against Rajasthan, while Mayank Panwar, also hailing from Uttarakhand, claimed victory in the men’s under-45kg category by defeating his opponent from Kerala. Additionally, Manipur’s Oinam Malemnganbi Devi secured the gold medal in women’s Taijiquan (Taolu), contributing to her state’s medal count. Hanjabam Karanajit Sharma earned another gold for the Services team in men’s Taijiquan (Taolu). Uttarakhand’s Achom Tapas and Arunachal Pradesh’s Nyeman Wangsu also brought home gold medals in men’s and women’s Daoshu (Taolu), respectively.
In the swimming events, Delhi’s Kushagra Rawat shone brightly by setting a new meet record and winning gold in the men’s 1500m freestyle with a time of 15:37.79. National record holder Aryan Nehra from Gujarat took home the bronze, while Advait Page from Madhya Pradesh secured the silver. Other gold medalists on the second day included Saanvi Deshwal (Maharashtra) in the women’s 400m medley, S. Danush (Tamil Nadu) in the men’s 200m breaststroke, and Harshitha Jayaram (Kerala) in the women’s 200m breaststroke. The men’s 4x100m medley relay was won by the team from Karnataka, while Odisha’s team clinched gold in the women’s 4x100m medley relay.
In the men’s basketball league phase, the defending champions Punjab showcased their strength against Rajasthan, winning decisively with a score of 106-72, which secured their place in the semifinals. Delhi also advanced after a commanding victory over Uttarakhand, finishing 123-54. In other matches, Tamil Nadu triumphed over Uttarakhand with the same score of 123-54, while Services edged past Karnataka with a close 71-61 win.
In the women’s category, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka all moved on to the semifinals. Kerala achieved a solid victory against Uttarakhand, winning 90-40, and Karnataka had a strong performance against Chhattisgarh, winning 94-43. Punjab narrowly defeated UP in a thrilling match, finishing 72-69, while Tamil Nadu secured a convincing win over Delhi with a score of 86-52.
In triathlon, the last two gold medals were secured by Manipur and Madhya Pradesh. Sarungbam Meitei from Manipur triumphed in the men’s duathlon, while Aadya Singh from Madhya Pradesh clinched gold in the women’s duathlon.
In Women’s Group B table tennis, the host state Uttarakhand encountered a significant challenge from Karnataka. Although Karnataka put up a strong fight, Uttarakhand clinched a close 3-2 victory, achieving important wins in both singles and doubles. This triumph marked Uttarakhand’s second win of the day, contributing to the excitement and drama of the Games.
These remarkable performances highlighted the National Games as a platform for India’s finest sporting talent. Athletes from various states are competing with fervor and resolve, turning every event into an exhilarating experience. The upcoming days are set to bring even more thrilling moments as the race for medals intensifies.
