National Para Athletics: Odisha Sign Off With 13 Medals

Odisha medal winners pose with their coach, manager and official at the National Junior & Sub-Junior Para Athletics Championship in Bangalore

Bhubaneswar: A 15-member Odisha squad reaped a rich haul of 13 medals, including 10, on the concluding day of the 13th National Junior (U-19) & Sub-Junior (U-17) Para Athletics Championship at Shree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, Karnataka on Wednesday.

The 13 medals included three gold, three silver and seven bronze.

Nayagarh girl Ananya Swain made Odisha proud as she clinched a glittering double on debut, adding the F-54 javelin gold to the shot put yellow metal she claimed on Tuesday in U-17 age group. Performing from a wheelchair, the 14-year girl from Khuntubandha village of Nayagarh block, won the javelin gold with a throw of 8.57 metres.

The other gold for Odisha was secured by Digantabhanu Malik in U-19 mens T-40/41 javelin throw with an effort of 22.91 metres. A multi-talented athlete, Malik also captured one bronze medal each in discus and shot put.

Rupali Sahu was another multiple medallist from Odisha, winning the silver in U-17 girls T-13 long jump and bronze in 100m run. Mukesh Sahu and Jayaprakash Barik bagged one silver medal each today in U-19 mens T-12 long jump and F-36 shot put respectively.

This was the second medal for Bhadrak athlete Jayaprakash, who earned one bronze in javelin on Tuesday. Bipin Majhi and Ranjan Kumar Hansdah pocketed one bronze medal apiece in U-19 mens T-47 400m run and T-11 long jump respectively.