New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) Gujarat athletes Diya Rawal and Devvrat Pandya are confident of winning more national titles after claiming multiple medals in the Shri Sitaram Gupta Memorial All India Mallakhamb Championship 2026, held in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, recently.
Diya Rawal and Devvrat Pandya delivered impressive performances, winning multiple medals in their respective age categories.
Speaking about her performance, Diya said, “I participated in the Under-16 category at the Jhansi Mallakhamb competition. I won a silver medal in the team championship and a bronze medal in the individual event.”
Devvrat said, “I went to compete in the national championship held in Jhansi, where our team won the gold medal, and I secured a silver medal in the individual event.”
Vadodara’s Diya won a silver medal in the team championship and a bronze medal in the individual event in the under-16 girls’ category in the event held from September 27 to 29. Devvrat claimed gold in the team championship and silver in the individual event in the Under-18 boys’ category.
Gujarat State Mallakhamb Association secretary Rahul Choksi said the association had provided the athletes with additional practice time and training opportunities to help them perform well at the national level.
“After the children were selected, they were given more time to practise so that they could perform better at the national level. On behalf of the association, we provided them with training at different places and extended all possible support to help these children deliver an impressive performance at the national level,” Choksi said.
The achievements of Diya and Devvrat have made their families proud. Their parents credited the facilities and encouragement available to athletes in Gujarat for helping them showcase their talent and bring recognition to the state at national and international levels.
Diya’s mother, Pallavi Rawal, said her daughter had made considerable progress in the sport since taking it up in school.
“Diya started playing Mallakhamb in Class 6, and today she is making very good progress in the sport. She has participated in six to eight national competitions so far, and we are very happy with her performance,” she said.
Devvrat’s father, Vipul Kumar Pandya, highlighted the role of sporting initiatives in creating opportunities for young athletes.
“There has been considerable development in the field of sports. Initiatives and competitions such as Khelo India, Khelega Gujarat, Jitega Gujarat, and Khel Mahakumbh have been introduced, giving athletes better opportunities to showcase their talent and progress,” he said.
The championship featured teams from 14 states, with Gujarat securing medals across several team categories in addition to the individual achievements of Diya and Devvrat.
Gujarat won gold medals in the Under-19 boys’ and Under-14 girls’ team categories. The state’s Under-16 girls’ team secured silver, while the Under-14 boys’ team won bronze.
–IANS
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