Impressive show: State finishes 2nd in Khelo India Winter Games

Himachal put up an impressive show to finish second behind the Army at the Khelo India Winter Games. The Himachal athletes won a total of 18 medals — six gold, five silver and seven bronze medals — in the games, which concluded at Gulmarg today. The Army team also won 18 medals, but they finished on the top by virtue of having seven gold medals, one more than Himachal.

Having impressed from Day 1 of the competition, Himachal put in a fine show on the concluding day of the games by winning a gold women’s relay event. For Himachal, women athletes won most of the medals – 13 out of 18 medals. In fact, the women athletes from Himachal won the highest medals in the games.

The Himachal athletes dominated the Alpine Skiing event, winning eight medals with three gold. They also did well in ski mountaineering, winning six medals. In the last event, the Ski Mountaineering team had won just one medal. Kapil Negi, a veteran skier and member of the state association, attributed this outstanding performance to the rigorous training camps “Our athletes have demonstrated incredible dedication and hard work,” said Kapil Negi.

“Ski Mountaineering has immense potential in India. Its minimal infrastructure requirements and reliance on endurance and mountaineering skills give our athletes a natural advantage, especially those from remote mountainous regions. We are committed to nurturing this talent and ensuring their success at the international level,” said Praveen Sood, president of the Himachal Pradesh Ski Mountaineering Association.

Shiva Keshavan, six-time Olympian and chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee for Ski and Snowboard India, congratulated the Himachal team and the association for their commendable efforts. “I have been closely following the team’s performance, and I am highly impressed by their performance and potential,” said Shiv Keshavan. “The Himachal Ski Mountaineering Association’s dedication to developing the sport is truly commendable.”