Bhubaneswar: A contingent of 12 athletes with intellectual disability from various parts of Odisha who participated in the Khelo India National Games held at Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat has brought home 2 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze medals in athletics and badminton events.
These players were shortlisted on the basis of their performances in the State Games for PwDs conducted by Special Olympics Bharat-Odisha before participating in the national level games that were held from July 4 to July 9.
While Pravat Baral, from Puri district bagged the Gold in Badminton Singles, Trilochan Pradhan of Puri district bagged a Gold in 200 metre running race for men. The Silvers were bagged by Anupama Behera of Balangir district in 200 metre running race for women, Jogendra Chhatria of Balangir district in 200 metre running race for men and the Bocce Team (Senior) in the Mixed category that had participants from Cuttack district. The Bronze medals were bagged by Trilochan Pradhan in 100 metre run for men, Anupama Behera in 100 metre run for women and Dharmendra Samal of Cuttack District in 200 mtre run for men.
Sasmita Routray of “Sahaya”, Cuttack and JhasketanPadhan of “SANDYP”, Chandanpur, Puri were the coaches for the Bocce and Athletics respectively. Bibekananda Mohanty, a National Trainer of Special Olympics Bharat and Secretary of Dr. BV Memorial MR Benefit Trust, Athagarh was appointed as resource person to conduct the Badminton events by the Sports Authority of India. Mohanty was felicitated by the Games Organisors during the closing ceremony.