Maharashtra and Railways Triumph at the 57th Senior National Kho Kho Championship
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Synopsis
The 57th Senior National Kho Kho Championship concluded in Puri with Maharashtra winning the Women’s title and Railways taking the Men’s title. Exciting matches featured standout performances and thrilling moments, highlighting the competitive spirit of the tournament.
Key Takeaways
- Maharashtra won the Women’s Championship title.
- Railways emerged as champions in the Men’s category.
- Exciting performances included Ashwini Shinde and Rahul Mandal.
- Key awards were given to top performers from both categories.
- Final rankings showcased the competitive nature of the teams.
Puri, April 4 (NationPress) The 57th Senior National Kho Kho Championship came to a close in Puri today, with Maharashtra securing the Women’s Championship title after a thrilling match against the home team, Odisha. Railways took the Men’s title, overcoming the defending champions, Maharashtra, in a captivating showdown.
During the women’s final, Maharashtra narrowly defeated Odisha 25-21 in a match filled with excitement. After winning the toss, Odisha chose to defend first but struggled against Maharashtra’s vigorous attack, allowing the hosts only 2 dream run points. When it was Maharashtra’s turn to defend, they showcased a robust lineup featuring captain Ashwini Shinde, Priyanka Ingle, and Sandhya Survase. Ashwini Shinde was particularly impressive, standing firm until just 2 minutes and 50 seconds remained in the first inning.
The first inning ended in a tie at 10-10, setting the stage for an intense second half. In the second inning, Odisha’s defenders found it challenging to contain Maharashtra’s aggressive strategy, with six defenders eliminated in quick succession. When it was Maharashtra’s time to defend, Sampada More delivered an outstanding performance, ensuring her team maintained their lead until the final whistle, clinching the victory at 25-21.
The match was filled with exhilarating moments, including an incredible skydive by Odisha’s Magai Majhi to eliminate Maharashtra’s Reshma Rathod, and a daring dream run point achieved by Archana Majhi, who stood her ground after her teammates Archana Pradhan and Ananya Pradhan were ousted.
In the men’s final, Railways displayed a dominant performance, defeating defending champions Maharashtra 36-27. Maharashtra, after winning the toss, chose to defend first, but Railways launched a relentless assault, eliminating nine defenders with a minute left in the turn.
By the end of the first inning’s first turn, ten Maharashtra defenders had been dismissed, giving Railways a commanding 20-0 advantage. When Maharashtra began their attack, Railways’ Rahul Mandal secured a dream run point, intensifying the pressure on the opposition.
In the second inning, Railways maintained their dominance with a fierce attack, extending their lead to 35-13. During their final defensive turn, they demonstrated discipline and resilience, ultimately sealing the championship at 36-27.
Noteworthy moments included Ramji Kashyap’s exceptional defensive skills, Railways’ captain Mahesh Shinde’s remarkable endurance on the field, and Maharashtra’s Rudra Thopate executing a stunning skydive to eliminate Akshay Ganpule of Railways.
In the women’s category, Archana Majhi of Odisha was honored as the Best Defender, while Maharashtra’s Reshma Rathod received the Best Attacker award.
The Rani Laxmibai Award for Player of the Tournament went to Maharashtra’s Tanvi Bhosale. For the men’s category, Maharashtra’s Laxman Gawas was named Best Defender, Railways’ Rahul Mandal was acknowledged as Best Attacker, and the Eklavya Award for Player of the Tournament was awarded to Jagannath Das of Railways.
In the final standings for the women’s category, Odisha claimed second place, followed by AAI in third. Delhi shared third place, with Kolhapur (5th), Gujarat (6th), Karnataka (7th), and Andhra Pradesh (8th). In the men’s category, Maharashtra finished as the runner-up. Kolhapur secured the bronze (3rd place), while Odisha (joint third place), Kerala (5th), West Bengal (6th), Andhra Pradesh (7th), and Karnataka (8th) rounded out the rankings.
