State-level judo, fencing and yogasana competitions began in Uttarakhand on Monday, September 14, as part of the first phase of sports competitions being directly organised by the Youth Welfare and Provincial Guard Department.
The judo competition was inaugurated at the Multipurpose Sports Hall in Aamwala, Dehradun, while fencing events began at Maharana Pratap Sports College in Raipur. A yogasana competition was also inaugurated at Roshanabad in Haridwar.
At the judo venue in Aamwala, players from different weight categories underwent weigh-ins before the first-round matches began. Meanwhile, athletes participating in the Under-14 and Under-19 boys’ and girls’ fencing categories competed at Maharana Pratap Sports College.
Youth Welfare Minister Rekha Arya visited the Aamwala venue and encouraged the participating players. In Haridwar, Disaster Management and Panchayati Raj Minister Madan Kaushik inaugurated the yogasana competition at Roshanabad.
Arya said such competitions provide an important platform for talented athletes to progress. She said they help identify sporting talent in the state and provide players with opportunities to compete at national and international levels.
She also thanked parents for encouraging their children to participate in sports. Arya said modern sports infrastructure is being developed in Uttarakhand and athletes are using these facilities to improve their skills.
The minister urged players to move forward with determination, discipline and continuous hard work, saying consistent dedication can help athletes bring recognition to their state and the country.
Sarthak Jain wins gold in fencing
In the Under-14 boys’ foil category at Maharana Pratap Sports College, Sarthak Jain secured first place and won the gold medal. Aditya Singh Pundir finished second, while Manthan Pant and Shlok Mehta jointly secured third place.
Sarthak Jain and Manthan Pant are from Dehradun, while Aditya Singh Pundir represents Udham Singh Nagar district.
Several department officials and sports administrators were present at the events, including Additional Director RC Dimri, Joint Director Ajay Kumar Aggarwal, Deputy Director Shakti Singh and SK Jairaj. Other officials included Assistant Directors Deepti Joshi and Rajesh Mamgain, college principal Shabali Gurung, District Youth Welfare and Provincial Guard Officer Pramod Chandra Pandey and District Sports Officer Ravindra Bhandari.
Officials said competitions in various categories are continuing. The judging panels include Savita Gurung, Kiran Negi, Kalyan Chauhan and Sandeep Duklan, among other judges.
