The Grand Contest of Speed and Strength

Raipur, April 2026 :A grand contest of speed and strength was witnessed on the sacred land of Bastar as the athletics competitions of the first Khelo India Tribal Games 2026 concluded on Thursday at the modern sports complex located in Dharampura, Jagdalpur. On the final day, an extraordinary blend of speed, power, and unwavering determination was seen on the track.

The sporting extravaganza, which began with great grandeur on March 30, saw tribal athletes from across the country showcasing their talent and winning several exciting medals.

In one of the most challenging events of the day, the men’s 10,000 metres race, Nagaland runner Vede Tmero maintained his rhythm from the start and clinched the gold medal with an impressive time of 32:28.46. Maharashtra’s determined athlete Kamalakar Laxman Deshmukh secured the silver medal, while Hans Raj from Jammu and Kashmir won the bronze medal.

In the women’s category of the same event, Sanjita Oraon from West Bengal demonstrated remarkable endurance to win the gold medal with a time of 40:21.18. Sandhya Murmu from Odisha claimed silver, while Balarisha Thirniang from Meghalaya settled for bronze.

The excitement intensified further during the short-distance races, where athletes displayed lightning speed. In the men’s 200 metres race, Jharkhand’s Shiv Kumar Soren crossed the finish line with a record time of 21.51 seconds to win gold. Arpan Tai from Assam and Jagdish Meena from Rajasthan secured silver and bronze respectively.

In the women’s 200 metres event, Karnataka’s Ritushree won the gold medal with a timing of 25.87 seconds, bringing pride to her state.

The middle-distance 1500 metres race also witnessed tough competition. In the women’s category, Karnataka’s Nagini secured the first position, while in the men’s category, Rahul Oraon from Jharkhand clinched the gold medal. Notably, host state Chhattisgarh’s Manish Kumar secured third place amid strong support from the home crowd, adding a bronze medal to the state’s tally.

In the javelin throw event, which combines strength and technique, Madhya Pradesh’s Gulab Singh won the gold medal with an impressive throw of 62.80 metres. Assam’s Pramod Hagjer finished just behind him to claim silver.

Demonstrating excellent teamwork and coordination, Jharkhand’s team of Asha Kiran Barla and Tanisha Kumari won the gold medal in the women’s 4×400 metres relay. In the men’s category of the same event, Odisha’s team emerged as champions. The host state Chhattisgarh’s men’s relay team also delivered a strong performance, winning the silver medal.

Among the final thrilling events of the day was the women’s long jump, where Jharkhand’s Preeti Lakra secured the gold medal with a jump of 5.54 metres.

Organised with the support of the Ministry of Sports and the Sports Authority of India, this grand event not only reshaped the medal tally but also provided a powerful national platform for hidden talents from tribal regions, writing a new golden chapter in Bastar’s sporting history.