Bhubaneswar: The 35th East Zone Junior Athletics Championships concluded on a high note today, with Team West Bengal emerging as the overall champions, securing an impressive 255 points. Team Odisha followed closely, finishing as the overall runners-up with 219 points.
In the boy’s category, Team Odisha claimed the top spot with 126 points, while West Bengal secured second place with 102 points. The competition was similarly fierce in the girl’s category, where Team West Bengal dominated, amassing 153 points to clinch the title, while Odisha’s girls team earned 93 points to secure the second position.
The closing ceremony was graced by several prominent figures, including Deepankar Mohapatra, CEO of the Hockey Promotional Council of Odisha, B K Swain, Additional Secretary of the Department of Sports and Youth Services (DSYS), and Sailendra Jena, Joint Secretary of DSYS, who felicitated the medal winners and congratulated the participants for their outstanding performances.
“I am confident that our athletes, who excelled in the East Zone, will continue to shine in the upcoming National Junior Athletics Championships. We are thrilled to have hosted young athletes from ten states, and I hope everyone enjoyed their experience here in Bhubaneswar,” remarked Mohapatra during the ceremony.
The 39th National Junior Athletics Championships 2024 will be held at Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium from October 25 to 29, offering another opportunity for these talented young athletes to showcase their skills on a national stage.