Khelo India University Games: KIIT’s Sneha Soren Bags First Gold For Odisha

Bengaluru: Sneha Soren, representing Bhubaneswar’s KIIT University, struck gold on the opening day of the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) here on Sunday.

Sneha topped the women’s 49 kg weightlifting event, achieving a total lift of 161 kg, tweeted Odisha Sports.

It was Odisha’s first medal in the second KIUG, which was scheduled to be held last year but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Around 4,500 athletes from 200 universities will take part in the Games which will run till May 3. A total of 257 gold medals will be up for grabs.

The inaugural KIUG was held in 2000 at KIIT (Bhubaneswar), just before the global COVID-19 pandemic broke.