Manipur Wushu Players Shine at 38th National Games

Ukhrul, Jan 29: After Manipur opened the medal account in Triathlon, the state’s three young and energetic wushu players bagged one gold and two silver medals on the second day of the 38th National Games in Uttarakhand on Wednesday, the Manipur Olympic Association (MOA) said.

T Saya Chanu won a gold medal in the Women’s Changquan Competition, while her state colleagues, Marshal Salam and K Panthoi Devi, secured silver medals in their respective categories.

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The state Chef De Mission Rajchandra Moirangthem said of the medal winners: “Fighters of Manipur started winning medals despite the year-long war.”

It may be mentioned that 39 Wushu players, including 20 female athletes of Manipur, along with their coaches and managers are attending the ongoing National Games which was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Dehradun on Tuesday. The Games will continue until February 14, 2025.

In an exclusive chat with MOA Media Team, state Wushu coach M Bimojit Singh, an Arjuna Awardee, said, “There are also chances of getting golds in the evening session.” He had also stated before the National Games that they would try their best to improve the performances of wushu players and expected not less than 10 gold medals from the upcoming events.

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Wushu, introduced in the National Games in Guwahati in 2007, was one of Manipur’s major medal contributors in the previous National Games. So far, four Wushu players from Manipur have also received Arjuna awards.

In the 37th National Games in Goa in 2023, Manipur bagged 9 gold, 4 silver, and 2 bronze medals compared to 6 gold, 5 silver, and 2 bronze medals in the 36th National Games in Gujarat in 2022.

Notably, Manipur was the only state from eastern India to find a place among the country’s top 10 states in the medal tally of the 36th National Games in Gujarat. The Manipur team is participating in 20 sports disciplines in the Uttarakhand Games, the Manipur Olympics Association informed.

On January 26, Manipur triathlete Sarungbam Athouba Meitei created history by securing a gold medal in the men’s individual Triathlon competition of the 38th National Games Uttarakhand after 26 years, the MOA said.

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