Gulmarg, March 11: The third day of the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2025 Tuesday brought electrifying performances despite challenging weather conditions. Overnight snowfall, dense fog, and technical avalanche prevention measures at Kangdoori peaks tested both the patience and resilience of athletes eager to showcase their skills.
Meanwhile, spectators braved the elements to witness thrilling sporting action unfold. With five major events lined up for the day, the race for supremacy in the medal tally intensified. The Indian Army and Himachal Pradesh emerged as dominant forces, sweeping multiple podium finishes and solidifying their position as front-runners in the national winter games event at Gulmarg.
The highlight of the day was the Men’s Ski Relay Event, where the Army team demonstrated unmatched skill and endurance, securing the gold medal. Uttarakhand’s team fought valiantly to clinch the silver, while Himachal Pradesh took home the bronze, ensuring a highly competitive event.
The Women’s Slalom Snowboard event held at Kangdoori witnessed a spectacular display of speed and technique. Himachal Pradesh secured both gold and silver medals, with Preeti Thakur earning the title of “Golden Girl” and Prakarti Thakur finishing as the silver medalist. The bronze went to Urmila Pable of Maharashtra, preventing a complete podium sweep by Himachal Pradesh. After her victory, an elated Preeti Thakur shared her excitement, stating that she thoroughly enjoyed the competition and appreciated the top-notch facilities and support provided by the officials and staff.
In the Nordic Ski Sprint (Women’s) category, Kusum Rana of ITBP claimed her second gold medal of the tournament, continuing her dominant run. Bhavanj Thekkada of Karnataka, a three-time KIWG gold medalist, made a late comeback to secure silver, while Selma Soreng of ITBP, who won gold the previous day, settled for bronze.
The Men’s 15km Nordic Sprint event witnessed a sensational clean sweep by the Army, as Sunny, Stanzin, and Thupstan secured gold, silver, and bronze, respectively. Their commanding performance saw the Army claim the top 12 positions in the event, with ITBP being the only competitor to break their streak. The Alpine Slalom (Women’s) event was another showcase of Himachal Pradesh’s dominance, with Anchal Thakur, Tanuja Thakur, and Promila Thakur completing a full podium sweep by winning gold, silver, and bronze, respectively. Despite unpredictable weather conditions such as dense fog, the games have continued seamlessly, thanks to meticulous planning and coordination by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the J&K Sports Council.
Speaking about the event’s success, Vineet Kumar, Deputy Director General of SAI, commended the efforts of all stakeholders involved. He praised the officials, technical staff, and participants for their resilience and cooperation, ensuring a smooth and efficient execution of the winter games. With two more days of action remaining, the battle for medals is far from over. The Army and Himachal Pradesh have set the pace, but the competition remains fierce as other teams look to make a comeback in the final stretch of KIWG 2025.
