Asmita Khelo India Women's National Weightlifting Championships Closing Ceremony

• Odisha athletes secure first place by winning 18 medals

BERHAMPUR, 14/1 (Abhijit Kar): The Asmita Khelo India Women's National Weightlifting Competition, organized by the Odisha Weightlifting Association, Closing on Tuesday at the local Maham Gandhi Stadium. On this occasion, an award distribution program was held under the chairmanship of Odisha Weightlifting Association President Er. Chittaranjan Swain. Dronacharya Award winner Pal Singh Sandhu was the chief guest at the award distribution ceremony and Indian Weightlifting Selection Committee member Pradeep Kumar Sharma was the guest of honor and presented the awards. In this context, President Shri Swain said that Odisha has won the overall champion title in all three categories in this competition, which was organized for the first time. The Odisha team is in first place with a total of 18 medals including 7 gold, 8 silver and 3 bronze. Out of these, the competitors won 3 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze medals in the youth category. 

Meena Santa, who participated in the 55 kg category, was adjudged the best weightlifter, while Odisha won 2 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medals in the junior category. Maharashtra's Akanksha was adjudged the best weightlifter in this category, and Odisha also won 2 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medals in the junior category. Similarly, Odisha's Sneha Soren was adjudged the best competitor in this category, while Tamilnadu was the runner-up in the youth category and Bihar was the runner-up in the junior and senior categories. On the last day of Tuesday, only the 87 kg category was contested. In this, Subhasmita Mohanty won the silver medal in the senior category and Mousumi Das won the silver medal in the 81 kg youth category, taking Odisha's medal tally to 18, said Odisha Weightlifting Association Secretary K. Ravi Kumar. While all these programs were being conducted under the leadership of the Secretary, all other members, including Ganjam District Sports Officer Santosh Kumar Sahu, were present and assisted in the management.