Odisha, Maharashtra Collect Gold at Khelo India Youth Games

Gaya: Odisha girls pulled off a massive upset by beating defending champion Maharashtra in a close encounter 34-31 in Kho-kho competition of the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Bihar at the BIPARD Sports Complex here on Friday. Maharashtra, however, had sweet revenge and also maintained its dominance in the boys’ final, beating Odisha 34-25.

The girls’ final was fiercely contested. Led by an outstanding performance by Samarnika Sahu, who scored 12 points, Odisha emerged victorious. This win marked redemption for Odisha, which had to settle for silver in the 2024 edition in Tamil Nadu. This time, the team wrote a new chapter in Odisha’s sports history.

The win was hard-earned. Odisha was trailing 10-16 at one stage but showed incredible resilience and fighting spirit to come back strong to clinch the title.

In contrast, the boys’ final followed a different script. Odisha’s boys, despite a strong start, couldn’t keep pace with the experienced Maharashtra team and eventually lost 34-25, securing the silver medal. (IANS)

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