In a historic achievement, Jammu and Kashmir emerged as the undisputed overall Champions of the 69th National School Games U-19 Boys Taekwondo Championship, held at the Indoor Sports Complex, Bhagwati Nagar, here.
The team’s outstanding performance led to a spectacular haul of eight medals—2 Gold, 2 Silver, and 4 Bronze—securing a total of 36 points.
Haryana put up a strong fight, earning 3 Gold and 1 Silver medal, finishing with 26 points and the runner-up trophy. The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) team claimed the third spot with 2 Gold medals and 14 points.
In a fiercely contested U-19 Boys Under-51 KG category, Sudhir Kumar of Jharkhand took home the Gold, while Mohammad Hadi of Jammu and Kashmir secured the Silver. The Bronze medals were awarded to Sumedh Mukesh Jadhav of Maharashtra and Sajal Kumar from Vidhya Bharathi.
ThebMedal winners representing Jammu & Kashmir showcased exceptional talent and determination: Shivansh Rajput (Gold, -45 KG), Mohit Anthal (Gold, -55 KG), Nasir ul Islam (Bronze, -59 KG), Harris Gulzar (Bronze, -48 KG) Ayaan Mahajan (Silver, +78 KG), Saksham Sharma (Bronze, -68 KG), Arsalan Wazir (Bronze, -78 KG), Mohammad Hadi (Silver, -51 KG).
The prestigious Prize Distribution Function was graced by Director General Youth Services and Sports, MS Anuradha Gupta, who presented medals and trophies to the deserving winners.
She was accompanied by Joint Director Youth Services and Sports Jammu, Vinakshi Koul, the Organising Secretary of the event; Megha Baogia, Deputy Director (Activities), Directorate of Youth Services and Sports J&K; and Parichay Mishra, Field Officer from the School Games Federation of India (SGFI).
Addressing the large gathering of officers, athletes, and officials, Director General Anuradha Gupta described the victory as an ecstatic moment, attributing this phenomenal success to the relentless hard work of the players, dedicated coaching staff, and the comprehensive support and facilities provided by the Department throughout the coaching camp and the tournament.
She expressed heartfelt gratitude to all the participating athletes and officials for their exemplary sportsmanship and spirit of fair play.
Earlier, Vinakshi Koul warmly welcomed the Chief Guest, dignitaries, and participants, emphasizing the Department’s commitment to ensuring comfortable accommodation and excellent arrangements for players and officials at lodging centers and competition venues throughout the event.
