The National Games 2024 in Uttarakhand are underway with immense energy and excitement. From swimming to rugby, cycling, weightlifting, and shooting, athletes from across the country are putting up remarkable performances. Some have made history, while others have secured victories by narrow margins in thrilling contests.
The swimming competitions in Uttarakhand have witnessed exceptional performances. Bhavya Sachdeva from Delhi claimed the gold medal in the women’s 800-meter freestyle. In the men’s 400-meter medley, Shoan Ganguly from Karnataka took the top spot.
In the women’s 200-meter backstroke, Soubrity Mondal from Bengal, and in the men’s 200-meter backstroke, Rishabh Das from Maharashtra, bagged gold. Karnataka’s Dhinidhi Desingu and Maharashtra’s Mihir Ambre also clinched gold in the women’s and men’s 50-meter freestyle, respectively.
The rugby sevens finals in Dehradun were intense, where Haryana’s men’s team and Odisha’s women’s team made history. Haryana defeated Maharashtra 22-7 in the men’s final to win their fourth consecutive gold, while Odisha’s women’s team triumphed over Bihar 29-5 to maintain their dominance. In the bronze medal matches, Odisha beat West Bengal 26-10, and Maharashtra defeated Delhi 17-10 in the women’s event.
Cycling saw a thrilling race where Muskaan Gupta from Gujarat won the gold medal in the 60-kilometre road race. Maharashtra’s Pooja Baban Danol narrowly missed gold, securing the silver by just 0.078 seconds, while Swati Singh from Odisha took bronze. The remarkable thing about this race was that the top three athletes were separated by mere milliseconds, making it even more exciting.
In weightlifting, Bindyarani Devi from Manipur set a new national record in the women’s 55 kg category, lifting 88 kilograms in the snatch to break Mirabai Chanu’s previous record of 86 kilograms, making this event historic. In shooting, Parth Rakesh Mane from Maharashtra won the gold, while Rudranks Patel earned silver.
Uttarakhand also made its mark in Wushu, winning 1 gold and 5 bronze medals, showcasing the talent of its athletes. Meanwhile, in Almora, the yoga competition began today, marking its debut in the National Games.