KIWG 2025: Telangana’s Nayana Sri Talluri Skates to Victory in Women’s 500m Short Track
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Synopsis
On Day 2 of KIWG 2025, Telangana's Nayana Sri Talluri, just 15, clinched the women's 500m short track gold, marking her third consecutive gold medal. Fellow competitors from Karnataka and Maharashtra placed behind her at the NDS Stadium in Leh, Ladakh.
Key Takeaways
- Fifteen-year-old Nayana Sri Talluri achieved a hat-trick of gold medals.
- She clocked 1:01.35 seconds to win the women's 500m short track event.
- Harshan finished second in his first long-track race.
- Khelo India Winter Games focus on gaining experience beyond medals.
- Top teams like the Army and ITBP are performing well in ice hockey.
Leh (Ladakh), Jan 24 (NationPress) On Day 2 of the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2025, two southern states – Telangana and Karnataka – captured the spotlight as gold medals in speed-skating were awarded. Fifteen-year-old Nayana Sri Talluri from Telangana clinched the inaugural gold medal of KIWG 2025, achieving a remarkable ‘hattrick’ by winning the women’s 500m short track gold at the NDS Stadium.
Nayana, who previously secured the same medal in the under-17 division last year, showcased her prowess with a winning time of 1:01.35 seconds, outpacing competitors from Karnataka and Maharashtra. She also triumphed at KIWG 2023 in Gulmarg. Unlike the previous year, where skaters competed in two categories – under-17 and over 17 – this year's skating events are open. With many top Indian skaters training abroad in Korea and China for the Asian Winter Games in February, the competition features some of the nation's best junior talents.
Nayana is among them, having earned two gold medals at KIWG 2024 before winning a 3000m women’s relay gold at the 2024 Asian Open Short Track Speed Skating Championship in Jakarta in August. She has been enhancing her skills and gaining invaluable experience. “(In Jakarta), there were participants from various countries, which was fantastic, but competing in our homeland feels completely different. This year, I’m back on the ice for the first time, and it’s nostalgic to be in Ladakh. Winning my third consecutive gold medal since Gulmarg in 2023 fills me with joy,” Nayana shared with SAI Media.
The Khelo India Winter Games are more than just a medal chase; they focus on gaining experience and setting higher standards. Although Tamil Nadu's Guru Harshan H. did not secure the gold, he felt immense pride in finishing second in his first long-track Khelo India Winter Games race.
The 14-year-old Harshan placed behind Karnataka’s Harshith K., who won the second skating gold medal of the day at Gupuks Pond. Haryana's Sachin Singh took third place. Competing in a long track race in an unfamiliar environment, Harshan noted that Ladakh’s thin air impacted his performance. “I couldn't perform at my best,” he remarked, adding that the Gupuk surface was challenging as he was accustomed to skating on artificial ice.
In 2019, Harshan secured a bronze medal in the under-10 category during an Open event organized by the Ice Skating Association of India. He also participated in the third Khelo India Winter Games in Gulmarg in short-track speed skating in 2023. For KIWG 2025, Guru attended a week-long camp in Gulmarg, funded by the Tamil Nadu government.
The ice hockey tournament is also proving to be a valuable learning experience for teams from Haryana, Maharashtra, Chandigarh, and Rajasthan. The top teams, such as the Army, ITBP, and Ladakh, have so far enjoyed a smooth competition.
