Sports

Guru Nanak Dev University’s Ashi Chouksey came up with a near flawless performance to beat teammate and Olympian Sift Kaur Samra to clinch her fourth consecutive KIUG gold medal at the Khelo India University Games Rajasthan 2025 at the Jagatpura Shooting Range here on Sunday. The fifth edition of KIUG 2025 is being held across seven cities in Rajasthan. A whopping 4448 athletes from 222 Universities are competing in 23 medal disciplines. The Games are being held under the aegis of the Sports Authority of India in collaboration with the Rajasthan State Sports Council and is being hosted by Poornima University.The 23-year-old, the 2022 Asian Games medallist, led the 50m final from start to finish and won the gold medal with a final score of 462.3 points, beating her nearest opponent by 2.7 points.In fact, Ashi had a four-point lead over Sift going into the last four shots but registered two shots below 10 in the end, but that hardly affected her chances of winning the gold medal. “I was not focussing on the scores at all. I had won the gold medal in KIUG for the last three years and I was determined to not lose out on the gold this time. So, I was only focused on my shooting, and it was only in the final few shots that I paid attention to the score,” said Ashi after winning the gold medal. Guru Nanak Dev University also bagged the 10m Air Pistol team gold while cyclist Niya Sebastain won the women’s Keirin race to take their gold medal tally to 30.KLEF University’s Mukesh Nelavalli bagged the 10m Air Pistol individual gold medal with a final score of 243.3 points, getting the better of Paris Olympics bronze medallist Sarabjot Singh, who finished with a bronze medal after scoring 220.8 points in the final. The silver medal went to Aditya Malra of Panjab University with a score of 240.2.Meanwhile, Savitribai Phule Pune University moved up to sixth position after winning two gold medals on the last day of cycling competitions to take their overall tally to six gold.Siddhi Shirke of Pune University, who was competing despite a fractured right wrist, won the Women’s Point Race while Mangesh Takmoge claimed the top spot in the men’s Keirin competition.“Last month while training for a road race, my coach and I were hit by a bike due to which I had bruises on my body, and I also fractured my wrist. The plaster came off last week and though the pain is still there, and the mobility isn’t that good, I am happy that I could manage to win the gold medal today,” said Shirke, who was participating in her first Khelo India University Games.Adwaith Sankar SS of University of Kerala clinched the gold medal in men’s Point Race with Pune University’s Siddhesh Patil and Kishore Bharathidasan University bagging the silver and bronze medals respectively.

The 10th edition of the Vedanta Pink City Half Marathon (VPCHM) concluded here on Sunday, showcasing an extraordinary display of community spirit and determination.Almost 15,000 runners participated in support of Vedanta’s #RunForZeroHunger movement, raising 1 lakh meals for children at Nand Ghars, the company’s flagship social impact project working to ensure a nourished and healthy future forchildren by transforming anganwadis across India. Under the initiative, each kilometre run by participants translated into one Poshan Pack or nutritious supplement for children at Nand Ghars The marathon featured three categories the 21-km half marathon for professional athletes, a 10-km cool run for intermediate athletes, and a 5-km dream run for beginners and families. The winners also expressed their gratitude and pride upon completing the race with remarkable timings.In the 21-km male category, winner was Bablu Sisodia, pipping Versiram to the second spot and third place went to Yogesh.In the female section, Ujala reigned supreme. Kuamri Parul finished runner-up, while Bhumi Negi stood third.In the 10-km male group, Pawan Kumar emerged champion, while second spot was claimed by Hukum Singh. Third place went to Sanket Kadyan.In the female category winner was Saloni beating Usha Sharma, while Mamta Choudhary had to be content with the third position. They shared that running the Vedanta Zinc City Half Marathon was a truly memorable and inspiring experience. From seasoned athletes to first-time participants, every finisher crossed the line with pride, making this edition a true celebration of grit and glory.Priya Agarwal Hebbar, non-executive director, Vedanta Ltd. and chairperson, Hindustan Zinc Ltd. said, “The Vedanta Pink City Half Marathon is not just a sporting event, it has evolved into a people’s movement for a healthier India. What makes today truly special is that every step taken by every runner helps nourish a child. Rajasthan is at the heart of our Nand Ghar mission, and we are committed to scaling it further with the goal of developing 25,000 Nand Ghars in the state to ensure that every child and every woman has access to nutrition, education and opportunity.”Harmanpreet Kaur, captain of the Indian women’s cricket team and international brand ambassador for VPCHM 2025, added, “It’s inspiring to see thousands run not only for fitness, but for a purpose that touches the lives of children at Nand Ghars across India. When sport is used as a force for good, it becomes even more powerful. I am proud to be part of the Vedanta Pink City Half Marathon and support the #RunForZeroHunger movement.”