Dikhyaa Mohanty 
At the ongoing National Games in Goa, Odia sprinter Srabani Nanda took home the coveted Gold in the women’s 200-meter race. It will assist Odisha in surpassing their haul of 26 medals from the previous National Games, increasing their medal tally to 31 with six gold, ten silver, and fifteen bronze.
Animesh Kujur carried on his athletic success by winning the bronze in the men’s 200-meter race. The day also belonged to the Odisha cycling contingent, as Swasti Singh took home two bronzes: one in the Individual Pursuit and the other in the 10km Scratch Race. On Wednesday night, Sabita Ramchiary won the silver medal in the Taekwondo Female U-57kg category, marking the State’s first medal in the sport.
Odisha’s athletics haul rises to an impressive six medals, comprising one gold, three silver, and two bronze, following the victories of Srabani Nanda and Animesh Kujur. Notably, at the 62nd National Open Athletics Championships in Bengaluru, Animesh Kujur, a cadet at the Odisha Reliance Foundation Athletics High Performance Center, broke the meet record.
Martin Owens, head coach of the Odisha Reliance Foundation Athletics High Performance Center, had said Animesh Kujur was a medal contender before the National Games, saying, “He’s one of our exciting prospects, rapidly moving up the rankings and it will be exciting to watch him in action.”
