Finance
The battle for supremacy in the Khelo India Youth Games 2021 began on Sunday, with defending champions Maharashtra taking the lead with 9 gold medals.
However, hosts Haryana clawed their way back into the race, taking second place with a total of six gold medals. They have already won the most medals, with 23 (5 gold, 6 silver, and 12 bronze) to Maharashtra’s 17. (9 gold, 4 silver, 4 bronze).
On a day filled with action and exciting twists and turns, two new youth national records in weightlifting were also set.
Maharashtra took three of the four gold medals on offer in weightlifting, as well as three in yoga and one in cycling, while Haryana demonstrated their dominance on the wrestling mat, taking all five gold medals and one in cycling.
Manipur finished third in the medal count, with four gold medals in Thang-ta, an indigenous sport that was added to the Khelo India program for the first time.
Kajol Sargar of Maharashtra won the first medal of the Games, lifting a total of 113 kg (50kg in snatch and 63 in Clean and Jerk). Harshada Garud, a statemate, then rewrote the Youth National Record in the women’s 45kg category, defeating Uttar Pradesh’s Anjali Patel.
It all came down to their third and final lift after both lifting 80kg in clean and jerk. Garud broke the record by lifting 83 kg in her second attempt, while Anjali failed even in her third.
Earlier, L Dhanush of Tamil Nadu won the Boys 49kg gold medal, setting a new Snatch record of 88 and lifting 190 kg overall.
Haryana started their medal charge at the cycling velodrome in Delhi, where Vrinda Yadav won gold in the Girls 7.5kg Scratch Race.
The hosts were hoping for a gold medal sweep on the wrestling mat, and Ronit Sharma did not disappoint, opening their account in the Boys Greco-Roman 51 kg category when he defeated state-mate Rahul.
In the Freestyle 92 kg, Sahil Jaglan defeated Robinpreet Singh of Punjab by a score of 10-0.
Jyoti completed the clean sweep by defeating Maharashtra’s Pragati Gaikwad in the Girl’s 57kg weight category by technical superiority.
Kabaddi, hockey, volleyball, gymnastics, and badminton action continued.
