Yashashree wins third gold for Tamil Nadu; Army edges out ITBP to retain ice-hockey crown
Srinagar: Yashashree of Tamil Nadu on Monday won the third gold medal for her state in the final skating event of the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2025 held at Leh, the capital of Ladakh.
In the 500-metre women’s long track at Gupuks, the frozen over pond replenished by the waters of Indus, she clocked 00:58:00 seconds, winning the gold.
Riya Vilas Gayakwad of Maharashtra (1:04.31 secs) and Srija S Rao of Karnataka (1:04.93 secs) won silver and bronze, respectively, in the tightest of finishes.
While host Ladakh won two golds on the final day to finish with four golds, the Indian Army edged out the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) by 2-1 to retain the ice-hockey title. The Army had lost to ITBP 3-1 in a league match on Saturday.
Thirteen gold medals were at stake in the first phase of KIWG 2025. The second chapter of the snow games will be held at Gulmarg, the Kashmir Valley’s premier ski resort, from February 22 to 25.
Ladakh won two of the four golds decided on Monday. Their mixed relay quartet, comprising Stanzin Jampal, Skarma Tsultim, Mohammed Saquaf Raza and Padma Angmo, clocked 3:02.19 secs to strike gold. Maharashtra (3:03.78 secs) and Telangana (3:04.85 secs) won silver and bronze, respectively.
The Ladakhi players romped past fancied ITBP 4-0 to finish on top of the women’s round-robin league at Leh’s NDS Stadium. Women’s ice hockey started only last year and interestingly, Ladakh had lost the final match to ITBP by a 4-0 scoreline. Himachal Pradesh won the bronze, the Sports Authority of India said.
Its media wing SIA Media quoted Padma Chorol, a senior member of the Ladakh women’s ice hockey team. As saying, “It feels amazing and it’s a big moment for our team. Last year, we lost to ITBP but this year, we made a strong comeback.” He added, “A huge thanks to our coach and the Khelo India administration for bringing this event to Ladakh and making this possible for us.”
KIWG 2025 toppers Ladakh (7 medals, including four golds) were followed by Tamil Nadu (five medals including three golds).
Maharashtra finished with the maximum number of medals (10) but only two golds meant they finished third. Maharashtra had finished on top in KIWG 2024, winning 20 skating medals that included six golds.
Telangana (2 golds) finished fourth and Karnataka (1 gold) fifth in KIWG 2025.
DAY 5 RESULTS (Jan 27)
ICE HOCKEY
(Men’s final at NDS): Indian Army beat ITBP 2-1; Losing semi-finalists Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh got bronze.
(Women’s final round-robin league at NDS): Ladakh beat ITBP 4-0 for gold; Himachal Pradesh won bronze.
ICE SKATING (all finals)
MIX relay (at NDS): 1. UT- Ladakh (Stanzin Jampal, Skarma Tsultim, Mohammed Saquaf Raza, Padma Angmo) 3:02.19 secs 2. Maharashtra (Ishan Darvekar, Vyom Sawant, Swaroopa Deshmukh, Anvayi Deshpande) 3:03.78 secs 3. Telangana (Pranav Madav, Vishnu, Nayana Sri, Geetika) 3:04.85 sec.
500m women long track (at Gupuks): 1. Yashashree (Tamil Nadu) 00:58.00 secs; 2. Riya Vilas Gayakwad (Maharashtra) 1:04.31 secs 3. Srija S Rao (Karnataka) 1:04.93 secs.
