Odisha Shines at 38th National Games with Gold in Rugby and Weightlifting

Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s athletes delivered a stellar performance at the 38th National Games in Uttarakhand, with the state’s women leading the medal charge on Friday.

The Odisha Women’s Rugby team clinched the gold medal, dominating Bihar 29-5 in the final. Earlier in the day, they secured a spot in the final by defeating Maharashtra 31-5 in the semifinals. The Odisha Men’s Rugby team also made their mark, securing the bronze medal with a 26-10 victory over West Bengal.

Adding to Odisha’s gold tally, Rima Bhoi secured first place in the Women’s 59 kg weightlifting category, showcasing her strength and determination.

In cycling, Swasti Singh won a bronze medal in the 60 km Road Mass Start event, finishing behind Muskan Gupta of Gujarat (gold) and Pooja Danole of Maharashtra (silver).

Wushu athlete Riya Thakur added another bronze medal for Odisha in the Women’s Gunshu (Taolu) event, with Vanshika Namdeo of Madhya Pradesh claiming gold and Padmani Narzari of Assam securing silver. Meanwhile, Manju Munda advanced to the Women’s Sanda 45 kg final after defeating her opponent from Delhi.

Odisha’s women’s Kho-Kho team is now set to compete for gold after a commanding 36-23 win against Karnataka in the semifinals. With more events ahead, Odisha continues to assert its dominance at the National Games.