HARIDWAR (Uttarakhand): Madhya Pradesh secured a match with Haryana in the women’s hockey final at the 38th National Games 2025 at the Vandana Katariya Hockey Stadium in Haridwar on Wednesday.
MP and Maharashtra played out a 1-1 draw at the end of regular time. Aishwarya Dubey (6′) and Nilanjali Rai (43′) scored off penalty corners for their respective sides on Wednesday. Madhya Pradesh won the match 4-1 in shootout, as per a press release from 38th National Games.
Meanwhile, Haryana defeated Jharkhand 2-1 in the second semi-final match of the women’s event. Kanika Siwach opened the scoring for Haryana in the eighth minute and captain Rani converted a penalty corner in the 26th minute. Jharkhand captain Albela Rani Toppo found the back of the net in the 42nd minute.
In the men’s event, Karnataka defeated Maharashtra 5-4 in the shootout. The regular time ended in a 2-2 draw. Venkatesh Kenche found the back of the net in the 11th minute and Aditya Lalage scored off a penalty corner in the 12th minute for the winning side. Ganesh Majji (44′) and Bharath Mahalingappa Kurtakoti (47′) scored a goal each for Maharashtra.
🏑🔥Women’s Hockey Stars in Action at the National Games!
🙌 🏆The 38th National Games have shaped national champions and redefined Indian athleticism—proving that the future of sports is brighter than ever. #38thNationalGames #38thNationalGamesUttarakhand #SankalpSeShikharTak pic.twitter.com/GRp8A9vHJJ
— Department of Sports, Government of Uttarakhand (@uksportsdept) February 13, 2025
Uttar Pradesh beat Punjab 5-3 in a goal fest in the second semi-final encounter of the men’s competition. Sharda Nand Tiwari (9′, 27′) scored off a couple of penalty corners for UP, while Amir Ali (13′), Ajeet Yadav (22′), and Ketan Kushwaha (57′) scored field goals. Om Rajnesh Saini (12′) scored a goal and Prabhjot Singh (32′, 49′) scored a brace for Punjab.
Moving to Tehri, exciting competitions were witnessed on the second day of the kayaking and canoeing events. Players showcased their talent, particularly in the 500-meter categories. The Services team dominated with a flurry of gold medals, while athletes from Uttarakhand and Odisha also put up commendable performances.
In the Women’s Canoeing (C-2, 500m) event, the Services duo delivered a stellar performance, clinching the gold medal with a timing of 02:04.233 seconds. Odisha’s team secured the silver medal by completing the race in 02:06.466 seconds, while Uttarakhand claimed the bronze with a time of 02:08.149 seconds.
Day 16 at the 38th National Games, Uttarakhand, is underway with high energy!
Athletes are striving for glory as the medal count changes with exciting wins.#38thNationalGames #38thNationalGamesUttarakhand @IndiaSports @Media_SAI @uksportsdept pic.twitter.com/QB0fGVq9QU
— Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) February 13, 2025
Meanwhile, in the Women’s Kayaking (K-2, 500m) category, Uttarakhand’s team demonstrated impressive speed, winning the gold medal with a time of 01:56.370 seconds. The Madhya Pradesh team finished in 01:58.037 seconds to take the silver medal, while Odisha secured the bronze with a timing of 01:59.930 seconds.
Whereas, in the Men’s Canoeing (C-2, 500m) event, the Services team once again proved their supremacy, completing the race in 01:47.811 seconds to win the gold medal. Odisha’s team won silver with a time of 01:50.461 seconds, while Delhi secured the bronze medal by a mere 0.166-second margin, finishing at 01:50.627 seconds.
Furthermore, the Men’s Kayaking (K-2, 500m) event also saw Services maintain their dominance, securing the gold medal with a time of 01:36.287 seconds. Uttarakhand’s team finished in 01:38.284 seconds to claim silver, while Odisha earned the bronze with a timing of 01:38.897 seconds.
With these enthralling contests in kayaking and canoeing, the competition is set to become even more intense. The final day promises even more exciting encounters for sports enthusiasts. (ANI)