Powerhouse Haryana rules the mat with eleven gold medals
NEW DELHI: Wrestling powerhouse Haryana won the men’s and women’s freestyle championships in the inaugural Khelo India School Games at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Sports Complex on Sunday. However, in the medal rush, girls toppled boys by winning 14 medals, eight of them gold. The team also won two silver and four bronze. The boys’ team, however, won only 10 medals, including three gold. They also won four silver and three bronze.
With Haryana having a formidable line-up in the medal round, including cadet world championship medallists, rival teams were reduced to grappling for lower positions. Anshu, who won gold in the cadet world championship held in Greece last year, gave a flying start to her team by winning the 60kg gold. She defeated Leena Anthony of Karnataka 12-0.
BEATING TEAMMATE
In 65kg, Sonam, also a world cadet champion, outplayed Haryana teammate Mansi 2-0. In 70kg, Ravita Kumari beat Pathan Sanofar of Gujarat. Haryana also won gold in the 38kg, 48kg, 46kg, 49kg and 56kg cate- gories.
If girls were outright winners, the boys’ team faced stiff challenge from Delhi. Haryana and Delhi were neck and neck in the race for gold, finishing with three victories each.
At national level, grapplers from the Northern states generally have an upper hand, but in this school competition, other states, including Karnataka, are making an impression. Even Gujarat won two silver in the girls’ section (48kg, 70 kg).
In Greco-roman category, Uttar Pradesh walked away with the overall trophy after claiming six medals, three of them gold. They also won one silver and two bronze. Delhi were runners-up with two gold and four bronze.
In the women’s group, Maharashtra were second with seven medals – one gold, two silver and four bronze.