Mumbai – February 10, 2025: Maharashtra won two gold medals in the Kho Kho event at the 38th National Games 2025, in both the men’s and women’s categories. In the finals, held this week, Maharashtra defeated Odisha in closely contested matches.
In the men’s final, Maharashtra outplayed Odisha with a scoreline of 32-26, securing the top position. Similarly, in the women’s final, Maharashtra narrowly defeated Odisha with a score of 31-28. This impressive victory allowed Maharashtra to secure two gold medals in the Kho Kho event at the National Games 2025.
Gajanan Maruti Shengal led the Maharashtra men’s team while the women’s team captain Sampda Lahu More led the team to victory. Pratik Waiker and Priyanka Ingle, who captained India in the Kho Kho World Cup 2025, were also part of the Maharashtra team, adding strength to the team.
Odisha, displaying immense grit and determination, finished with silver medals in both the men’s and women’s tournaments, replicating their performance from the previous edition of the National Games.
The bronze medal matches provided equal excitement, with both the men’s and women’s contests extending into sudden death rounds (each team gets an additional turn to score). In the men’s category, West Bengal and Kerala were jointly awarded the bronze medal after an intense battle. Similarly, the women’s third-place match between Delhi and Karnataka also resulted in a tie, with both teams sharing the bronze medal honours.
The Kho Kho event at the National Games 2025 in Uttarakhand witnessed a spectacular display of agility, teamwork, and sportsmanship, further elevating the profile of this indigenous sport on the national stage.