National Games 2023: Vithya Ramraj ends campaign with two gold medals; youngster Pooja continues impressive form

Published at :November 4, 2023 at 11:08 AM

Modified at :January 14, 2024 at 12:56 AM

Shivpal Singh bagged gold in men’s javelin throw ahead of Kishore Kumar Jena.

The 37th edition of the National Games 2023 held in the athletic stadium at Bambolim, Goa came to an exhilarating conclusion on the final day. This grand sporting event, spanning six days, showcased some outstanding talent in the of track and field events.

Last day was marked by thrilling competitions with two field events – the men’s javelin throw and the women’s high jump along with two track events- the 3000m steeplechase and the 400m hurdles for both men and women culminating in the grand finale of the 4x400m mixed relay.

The day began with the women’s high jump event, where Pooja from Haryana soared to a gold medal by achieving a jump of 1.80m. Following closely behind were Mohur from West Bengal and Angel from Kerala securing silver and bronze with jumps of 1.74 meters.

In 3000m women’s steeplechase, Preeti of Haryana clinching first place with a time of 10 .19.78 seconds. In the men’s division, Sunil of Gujarat was crowned champion by finishing in 8.37.15 seconds, just narrowly missing the previous games record set in 2022.

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The 400 meters hurdles provided intense competition, with Dhaval from Gujarat and Vithya Ramraj of Tamil Nadu taking the top spots for men and women, respectively. Dhaval clocked 51.20 seconds, while Vithya completed the race in 56.88 seconds, although she couldn’t surpass her previous record set in 2022.

A highlight of the day was the men’s javelin throw, where Shivpal of services emerged as the winner with a remarkable throw of 81.17 meters. He was closely followed by Manu and Kishore also showcasing impressive performances.

The grand finale of the National Games was the 4×400 mixed relay, with Tamil Nadu securing the top spot. Vithya Ramraj and her team clocked 3 minutes and 21.26 seconds to claim the gold followed closely by Kerala and Maharashtra.

The 37th National Games in Goa provided a platform for athletes to shine and set new records. While the event did not feature top athletes like Neeraj Chopra and Avinash Sable, it provided an excellent opportunity for other athletes to showcase their talents and take significant steps toward achieving international success.