Diu, Jan 6 (NationPress) Local star Princess Alexander Thomas from Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu secured the inaugural gold medal of the Khelo India Beach Games (KIBG) 2026 with a stellar display in the women’s Tunggall category in Pencak Silat. Meanwhile, Raja Das from West Bengal triumphed in the men’s Tunggall event at Ghoghla Beach on Tuesday.

On the second day of competition, with two gold medals available, the hosts aimed to replicate last year's success. Princess Alexander Thomas set the tone by defeating Bhoomika Jitendra Jain from Madhya Pradesh in the women’s final.

The previous edition's gold medalist Prasanna Bendre was anticipated to win in the men’s final but Raja Das showcased superior technical skills to claim victory over the home favorite.

The KIBG 2026, hosted by the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, is being conducted under the expert oversight of the Sports Authority of India and national sports federations. This year's edition features over 1100 participants competing in eight different sports, including volleyball, soccer, sepak takraw, kabaddi, pencak silat, open water swimming, mallakhamb, and tug-of-war, with 32 gold medals available.

In Beach Kabaddi, the race for semifinal spots intensified as Haryana secured their second consecutive win in Pool A, defeating Maharashtra 47-26. The match was closely contested in the first 10 minutes, but the Haryana women took control as the Maharashtra players began to tire.

In the men’s category, Uttar Pradesh dominated Andhra Pradesh in Pool A, achieving up to three touch points in individual raids. Despite their efforts, the Andhra team fell short with a final score of 43-34.

In Beach Soccer, favorites Kerala began their campaign with an impressive 15-2 victory over Karnataka, with all four of their starting players netting three goals each. The hosts, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, also showcased their strength, defeating Himachal Pradesh 15-1.

During the evening matches, Gujarat women dashed the hopes of Himachal Pradesh for an upset win, claiming a 9-0 victory in their Group B matchup. The Himachal Pradesh women, who had previously triumphed over the hosts 7-5 in their group opener, faced a tough challenge.

Group matches in Beach Volleyball commenced with teams from Goa, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh starting their campaigns on a high note.

TODAY’S RESULTS

Pencak Silat:

(Women) Tunggal: Gold – Princess Alexander Thomas (DNH&DD); Silver – Bhoomika Jitendra Jain (MP); Bronze – Simran (CHD), Kirnakshi Yewale (Mah)

(Men) Tunggal: Gold – Raja Das (WB); Silver – Prasanna Bendre (DNH&DD); Bronze – Abhishek Gautam (Del), Srikant V (TN)

Beach Kabaddi

(Women): Pool A – Haryana bt Maharashtra 47-26, Punjab bt Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 63-11; Pool B: Rajasthan bt Himachal Pradesh 59-24

(Men): Pool A – Uttar Pradesh bt Andhra Pradesh 43-34, Haryana bt Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 55-19; Pool B: Rajasthan bt Delhi 57-32

Beach Soccer

(Women) Group A: Arunachal Pradesh bt Maharashtra 9-1; Group B: Gujarat bt Himachal Pradesh 9-0

(Men) Group B: Kerala bt Karnataka 15-2; Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu bt Himachal Pradesh 15-1.