Gulmarg, Feb 24: The sixth edition of Khelo India Winter Games 2026 witnessed a day of thrilling photo finishes and complete dominance by armed forces in the men’s category on Tuesday, as athletes braved the challenging slopes of the world-famous ski resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Day two of the competition featured intense action in Ski Mountaineering and Nordic Skiing, with participants demonstrating professional precision in their quest for medals.
In the Men’s Ski Mountaineering Vertical event—a grueling test of endurance—Uttarakhand’s Shardul Thapliyal emerged victorious. He was followed by Maharashtra’s Siddhartha Gadekar, while Santosh Moktan of the Army contingent secured the third spot on the podium, the official said.
The women’s category was no less dramatic, with Maharashtra’s Kaamya Karthikeyan clinching the top position in the intense vertical climb. Himachal Pradesh’s Natasha Mahar put up a strong fight to finish second, while Sangeeta Bhatt of Uttarakhand rounded off the top three.
However, the most breath-taking moment of the day came in the women’s Nordic Skiing 10 km race, which ended in a photo finish.
In a tight sprint to the line, CRPF’s Kajal Kumari Rai clocked 32:58.75 to snatch gold, just ahead of her teammate Hiral, who secured silver with a time of 33:14.89. Karnataka’s Bhavani TN completed the podium with a bronze-medal finish at 33:22.03, he added.
The men’s 10 km Nordic race, by contrast, belonged entirely to the armed forces. The Army contingent delivered a commanding performance, staging a complete podium sweep. Y Padma Namgal led the pack, followed by Aman Kumar and Manjeet, underscoring the dominance of the services in winter sports.
An official told Kashmir Convener that the four-day tournament is shaping up to be a gripping contest of individual brilliance and team prowess.
The sixth edition of the Khelo India Winter Games was officially inaugurated here on Monday by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Around 400 athletes are participating in the sporting extravaganza, which aims to scout and nurture winter sports talent from across the country.
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