Ludhiana: Over 1,100 athletes in fray as school games enter 2nd phase

The competitions in handball, weightlifting, taekwondo and football drew enthusiastic participation from students representing districts across Punjab

The 69th Punjab Inter-District School Games entered its second phase on Monday across multiple venues in the district. The competitions in handball, weightlifting, taekwondo and football drew enthusiastic participation from students representing districts across Punjab. More than 1,100 young athletes are competing in this event.

Handball players in action during the 69th Punjab Inter-District School Games at PAU in Ludhiana on Monday. (HT Photo)

At the gymnasium hall of Guru Nanak Stadium, the taekwondo matches turned into a thrilling display of strength and agility. In the Under-21 kg category, Karanveer Singh of Patiala bagged the gold medal, while Jaswant Kumar from Ferozepur claimed silver and Baban Kamboj from Fazilka secured bronze. The Under-23 kg event was dominated by Haragam Singh of Patiala, followed by Ekam from Fazilka in second place, while Sahil Goel (Ludhiana) and Navdeep (Bathinda) shared third position.

In the Under-25 kg category, Parv Rajput of Ludhiana stood first, with Aryan Singh from Pathankot taking second place, and Rohit Giri (Patiala) and Divyash (Amritsar) finishing third. The Under-32 kg category saw Jobanpreet from Faridkot win gold, Saksham Saini from Amritsar secure silver, and Yajat Jindal (Mansa) along with Balkar Singh (SAS Nagar) claim bronze.

Meanwhile, at the Government Senior Secondary School, Baddowal, the girls’ football matches witnessed high-octane action. Bathinda beat Mohali 3-1, Patiala crushed Fatehgarh Sahib with a stunning 9-0 victory, while Pathankot defeated Barnala 2-0. In another strong performance, Amritsar outplayed Kapurthala 7-0. The highlight of the day came when Ludhiana’s team thrashed Mansa 12-0 in a dominant display of skill and teamwork.

The weightlifting events at Principal Naresh Chand Sports Stadium, Khanna, showcased remarkable performances by young athletes. In the 40 kg category, Khushi from Ludhiana lifted her way to first place, followed by Chanchalpreet Kaur (Rupnagar) in second and Khushman (SAS Nagar) in third. The 48 kg event saw Bindu from Barnala take the top spot, Khushi from SAS Nagar finish second, and Simranjot Kaur from Gurdaspur secure third position. In the 53 kg category, Sania from SAS Nagar emerged champion, Harseerat Kaur Gill (Ludhiana) stood second, and Khushpreet Kaur (Rupnagar) took third. In the 58 kg category, Mandeep Kaur (Barnala) bagged first place, while Sahajpreet Kaur (Rupnagar) and Jaspreet Kaur (Ludhiana) secured second and third positions respectively.