KIWG 2025: Army Faces ITBP in Ice Hockey Final; Maharashtra Tops Medal Standings
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Synopsis
The Khelo India Winter Games 2025 will feature a men’s ice hockey final between the Indian Army and ITBP, echoing last year's championship match. Maharashtra leads the medal tally with an impressive performance from their skaters, while Ladakh and Tamil Nadu battle for second place.
Key Takeaways
- Indian Army and ITBP to clash in men's ice hockey final.
- Maharashtra leads the medal standings with 8 medals.
- Ladakh skaters achieved notable successes in short track events.
- Women’s ice hockey medals will be decided on Monday.
- Strong performances from Tamil Nadu skaters bolster their medal count.
Leh, Jan 26 (NationPress) The Khelo India Winter Games 2025 men’s ice hockey final scheduled for Monday will mirror last year's gold medal match. On Sunday, the Indian Army triumphed over the local team Ladakh with a score of 2-1, while ITBP emerged victorious against Himachal Pradesh, securing a 3-1 win that sets the stage for an exciting championship showdown at the NDS Stadium complex.
The penultimate day of the initial segment of the Khelo India Winter Games 2025 showcased a mix of outcomes for the hosting region of Ladakh, even as Maharashtra surged ahead of both Telangana and Karnataka in the medal count. Following a successful performance from their skaters on Sunday, Maharashtra now leads with a total of eight medals, which includes 2 golds, 2 silvers, and 4 bronzes.
The day began positively for Ladakh's skaters at the NDS Stadium. In the women’s 1000m short track event, Skarma Tsultim (2:17.91 sec) and Padma Angmo (2:21.13 sec) achieved a fantastic one-two finish, leaving Madhya Pradesh’s Udreka Singh (2:22.74 sec) in third place. This marked Skarma’s first gold at KIWG and brought Ladakh's total to two golds this year.
With an overall tally of four medals, including 2 golds and 2 silvers, Ladakh currently stands in a tie for second place in the medal rankings with Tamil Nadu, who also secured two golds — the women’s relay and men’s 500m long track — on Sunday.
The skaters from Maharashtra claimed a gold in the men’s relay, a silver in the women’s relay, and a bronze in the men’s 500 long track on Sunday. Although Karnataka did not win any medals today, Tamil Nadu captured both gold (Avikshit Vijay Viswanath) and silver (Selvakumar Muthukumar) at Gupuks Pond, where the men’s 500 long track event took place.
During the afternoon session, the Indian Army became the first team to secure a spot in the men’s ice hockey finals. The defending champions overcame a tough contest with the host team Ladakh, clinching a thrilling 2-1 victory. The match at the NDS Stadium was intensely competitive, with emotions running high as Ladakh received significant local support; however, the young soldiers from the Ladakh Scouts Regimental Centre rallied behind their team with characteristic fervor.
To the delight of the local supporters, Ladakh struck first in the 13th minute of the opening period with a goal from Stanzin Lotus. The Army team, which had faced a 3-1 loss to ITBP in a previous league match, took some time to find their footing and encountered several near misses.
The second period saw no goals, but Ladakh conceded two quick goals in under a minute during the third and final period, allowing the Army to take charge of the game. The Army displayed impressive teamwork as Sherap Zangmo (32nd minute) and Tsewang Chorol (33rd minute) scored after swift assists in the scoring zone.
“After losing the last match, we recognized the need for a new strategy. Today, we executed that plan effectively against the UT Team, and it paid off. We maintained excellent coordination and were resolved not to repeat the errors from our game against ITBP,” stated Stanzin Phande, the Army captain.
The medals for women’s ice hockey will be contested on Monday following the final league matches. Both ITBP and Ladakh's female teams are on track to secure the top two positions.
