GULMARG: From the wee hours on Monday snowfall at Gulmarg proclaimed that remnants of Winter chill are still in command to thrill visitors at the famous high-altitude tourist destination.
But the Khelo India Winter Games witnessed a change in climate after a sunny inaugural day. The perseverance & passion of athletes raised the visual warmth over white snow turf as all the scheduled games were officiated according to the fixture to foster real winter sports spirit.
Hundreds of players coming from across the country battled over the title in different domains of snow sports including Vertical Ski Mountaineering, Snowboard Gaint Slalom and Sprint.
Some undisputed champions of previous Khelo India Winter Games again proved their mettle to lay a solid & strong claim for medals and had been exceptionally successful in their endeavour.
Manoeuvring in the Winter Games at Kangdoori, Siddhartha Gadekar from Pune Maharashtra was crowned with the Gold Medal in the Vertical Ski Mountaineering event for men today adding to his medal kitty from Sunday.
While celebrating yellow metal, he divulged that consistent endurance training got him the result he wanted. He expressed gratitude to KIWG authorities for the platform & unique opportunity to help athletes display latent potential. Gadekar eyes international sports events and hopes to carry current performance forward to do better in upcoming events. Shardul Thapliyal and Himanshu Singh both from Himachal Pradesh clinched Silver and Bronze in the same event respectively.
Tenzin Dolma from Himachal Pradesh secured Gold in today’s Vertical Ski Mountaineering of the women’s category, the first medal for her in KIWGs. As an Ultra Trail Runner, Dolma didn’t find the competition challenging since the endurance she had developed over the period showered her with desired rewards.
In the same event, Natasha Mahar from Himachal Pradesh improved from yesterday’s performance to win silver while Manek Gunjiyal of Uttarakhand who had won Gold in Women’s Snowboarding Slalom on Sunday had tough luck today and had to settle for bronze. Gunjiyal was one of the gold medallists from KIWG-2024.
She knows the slopes of Gulmarg like her home, that is what is the magic of success.
While speaking regarding her perseverance, she said that dry practice & training during snow periods help her to build stamina which is essential in the high-altitude field of action.
In the Nordic Ski Sprint, ITBP sent all other participants to cleaners while wresting all three medals in the event. The ITBP players Kulsum Rana, Selma Soreng & Anjana Devi obtained Gold, Silver & Bronze respectively.
The Nordic Ski Sprint for men saw medals raining for the Army as the athletes including Manjeet, Shubam Parihar and Sunny Singh took away gold, silver and bronze medals respectively leaving others high & dry amid the snow.
Competing against thirty other participants in the Snowboard gaint Slalom event, Zubair Ahmad Lone from J&K, glided the slopes fiercely to clinch Gold Medal, while Kulvinder Sharma and Karan Sing of Army settled with Silver & Bronze.
Similarly, in Alpine Gaint Slalom Category Women, Himachal Pradesh had triple whammy to celebrate all three medals with Anchal Thakur, Tanuja Thakur and Suhani Thakur taking home Gold, Silver and Bronze respectively amid the huge applause of spectators and supporters.
In the Men’s Category of Alpine Giant Slalom, Sunil Kumar from Army, Atul Bhat from ITBP and Yogesh Kumar from Himachal Pradesh achieved Gold, Silver and Bronze respectively. It would be entertaining to watch which among these teams would be dominating the final medal tally of KIWGs.
Similarly, in Alpine Gaint Slalom Category Women, Himachal Pradesh had a triple whammy to celebrate all three medals with Anchal Thakur, Tanuja Thakur and Suhani Thakur taking home Gold, Silver and Bronze respectively amid the huge applause of spectators and support.
