Madhya Pradesh Dominates Khelo India Water Sports Festival

Madhya Pradesh emerged as the standout team at the inaugural Khelo India Water Sports Festival, clinching the top position on the medal tally. The event, which concluded at Dal Lake, saw Madhya Pradesh secure a total of 18 medals, including ten golds, four of which were in kayaking and canoeing events on the final day. Odisha and Kerala finished in the top three largely due to the efforts of athletes trained at the Sports Authority of India centers in Jatpur and Alappuzha.

The festival witnessed impressive performances from athletes across the country, with standout moments from Odisha's Rasmita Sahoo and MP's Dally Bishnoi. Sahoo, in particular, bagged two golds, while Madhya Pradesh's athletes shone, contributing significantly to their first-place finish. In rowing events, Odisha and Kerala were dominant, benefiting from the rigorous training at SAI centers.

Host Jammu and Kashmir delivered commendable performances as well. Local athletes like Mohsin Ali, Sajad Hussain, and Muhammad Hussain bagged crucial medals, contributing to J&K's seventh-place finish. Overall, the festival highlighted the rising talents in water sports, with some surprise upsets, including Aviraj of Odisha overtaking Olympian Arjun Lal Jat in the men's single scull race.

(With inputs from agencies.)