Maharashtra Women, Railways Men Crowned Champions at 57th Senior National Kho Kho Championship in Puri

Khel Today Bureau

Puri (Odisha): The 57th Senior National Kho Kho Championship concluded in Puri with Maharashtra clinching the Women’s Championship title after a nail-biting encounter against host Odisha, while Railways emerged victorious in the Men’s category, defeating defending champions Maharashtra in an electrifying contest.

Women’s Final: Maharashtra Edge Past Odisha in a Thriller

In the women’s final, Maharashtra edged past Odisha 25-21 in a high-octane contest. Odisha won the toss and chose to defend first, but Maharashtra launched a strong attack, restricting the hosts to just 2 dream run points. When it was Maharashtra’s turn to defense, they fielded a solid trio comprising captain Ashwini Shinde, Priyanka Ingle, and Sandhya Survase. Ashwini Shinde’s performance stood out as she held her ground impressively until the final 2 minutes and 50 seconds of the first inning.

At the end of the first inning, the scores were tied at 10-10, raising the stakes for the second half. In the second inning, Odisha’s defenders struggled to resist Maharashtra’s aggressive gameplay, with six defenders being ousted in quick succession. When Maharashtra returned to defend, Sampada More put on a stellar performance, holding her ground effectively and ensuring her team maintained the lead till the end, securing the victory at 25-21. The match featured several thrilling moments, including a remarkable skydive by Odisha’s Magai Majhi near the pole to dismiss Maharashtra’s Reshma Rathod, and a courageous dream run point earned by Archana Majhi, who stood her ground after teammates Archana Pradhan and Ananya Pradhan were dismissed.

Men’s Final: Railways defeated Maharashtra 

In the men’s final, Railways delivered a commanding performance to defeat defending champions Maharashtra 36-27. Maharashtra won the toss and chose to defend first, but the Railways’ attackers launched a relentless offensive, ousting nine defenders with a minute still remaining in the turn. By the end of the first turn of the first inning, ten Maharashtra defenders had been dismissed, giving Railways a commanding 20-0 lead. When Maharashtra came in to attack, Railways’ Rahul Mandal earned a dream run point, keeping the pressure on the opposition. In the second inning, Railways continued their dominance with a powerful attack, extending the lead to 35-13. During their final defensive turn, they showcased discipline and resilience, ultimately sealing the championship at 36-27. Notable moments included Ramji Kashyap’s outstanding defensive maneuvers, Railways’ captain Mahesh Shinde’s remarkable endurance on the field and holding the ground for an extended period, and Maharashtra’s Rudra Thopate executing a stunning skydive to dismiss Akshay Ganpule of Railways.

In the women’s category, Archana Majhi of Odisha was named Best Defender, while Maharashtra’s Reshma Rathod received the Best Attacker award. The Rani Laxmibai Award for Player of the Tournament went to Maharashtra’s Tanvi Bhosale. In the men’s section, Maharashtra’s Laxman Gawas was awarded Best Defender, Railways’ Rahul Mandal was named Best Attacker, and the Eklavya Award for Player of the Tournament was presented to Jagannath Das of Railways.

In the final rankings in the women’s category, Odisha is in second place and AAI is in third. Delhi stood in joint third place, followed by Kolhapur (5th), Gujarat (6th), Karnataka (7th), and Andhra Pradesh (8th). In the men’s category, Maharashtra finished as runner-up. Kolhapur secured the bronze (3rd place), Odisha (joint third place), Kerala (5th), West Bengal (6th), Andhra Pradesh (7th), and Karnataka (8th).

The championship, which kicked off on March 31 in Puri, marked several historic firsts. For the first time, all matches were played on mats, ensuring a standardized and professional playing surface. The tournament also recorded the highest-ever participation, with 40 men’s and 40 women’s teams competing from across the country.