Haryana are Khelo India champs
Boxers bag 10 gold on final day to help pip Maharashtra to second spot, Haryana girls bag hockey title
NEWDELHI: Haryana, buoyed by a rich final day haul, pipped Maharashtra at the post in the race for medals tally at the Khelo India Games on Thursday. Starting the day one gold medal behind Maharashtra, the Haryana boxers won 10 of 26 gold on offer, as their state accounted for 15 gold medals on the final day to race ahead.
Playing before a big gathering, shuttler Maisnam Meiraba won the final gold of the games with a 16-21, 21-14, 21-18 victory.
Meiraba reasserted his claim as the best U-17 badminton player in the country when he staged a comeback to beat Uttar Pradesh’s Aakash Yadav in three games. Earlier shuttler Malvika Bansod won the girls’ singles title with a 21-12, 12-10 win against Aakarshi Kashyap of Maharashtra.
The trophies for maximum participation were awarded to Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan in that order.
Haryana’s 15 gold medals on the final day comprised 10 from boxing, two in judo and one each from archery, football and hockey. Overall Haryana picked 38 gold, 26 silver and 38 bronze, while Maharashtra finished the Games at 36 gold, 32 silver and 42 bronze. Maharashtra, however, had the consolation of winning most medals, 111, as compared to Haryana’s 102 medals. Haryana and Maharashtra were the only states to go past the 100-mark in terms of total medals.
Delhi, who were right behind Haryana and Maharashtra a day earlier, were left far behind at 25 gold, 29 silver and 40 bronze and a total of 94 medals.
HOCKEY GOLD
Apart from the big haul in boxing, Haryana won the girls’ hockey gold beating Jharkhand 2-1, while Odisha emerged tops among boys beating Punjab 2-1.
Haryana also accounted for a football gold as their girls beat Manipur girls 5-4, while Mizoram beat Punjab in a close boys final.
Haryana also figured among medals in judo with two of the four gold coming into their kitty besides four bronze and they also won one of the four gold medals in archery, indicating excellence in virtually all disciplines.