The inaugural version of Khelo India Beach Games organised in May within the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu was a present of combined feelings. The elation of victories paralleled the disappointments of falling brief.
During the open water swimming occasion, which was held beneath opposed climate situations, mother and father have been apprehensive and have been ready on the shore for his or her competing youngsters to securely return from the ocean. Their considerations have been drowned within the cheers of native individuals, volunteers and supporters for the youngsters.
The video games have been held on the blue-flag licensed Ghoghla Beach close to Diu city. Over 1,300 athletes from 31 States and Union Territories competed in six occasions — seaside soccer, sepak takraw, pencak silat, open water swimming, seaside volleyball, and seaside kabaddi. Ironically, landlocked Manipur got here out because the champions by the sandy shores of Ghoghla.
Apart from the competitors occasions, the hosts additionally put the U.T.’s personal sporting expertise on show on the ultimate day of the video games, demonstrating agility with Mallakhamb — a standard type of gymnastics; energy with tug-of-war; and grit with boxing.
The five-day occasion gave mediapersons so much to cope with as photographers usually needed to cope with undesirable muddle within the background whereas searching for the right body. Others must rival the decibel ranges of booming audio system to get throughout to athletes.
The pure lighting of dawns and dusks made masking the video games early within the morning or late within the night extremely attention-grabbing, particularly the occasions of seaside kabaddi and sepak takraw, through which gamers have been form of flying over the sand to attain factors beneath the rising/setting solar spinning its personal net.
The Games had its moments regardless of challenges, and the seaside sports neighborhood will hope that the competitors augurs properly for its future.
Photo:
Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
Show of energy: Athletes in motion in the course of the seaside kabaddi sport. The spirit of the athletes on the Khelo India Beach Games was each fierce and joyous.
Photo:
Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
Aiming for the online: Beach soccer groups from Kerala and Maharashtra struggle it out.
Photo:
Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
Sparkling begin: A adorned boat in the course of the opening ceremony of the Khelo India Beach Games on the Ghoghla Beach on the Diu Island on May 19.
Photo:
Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
Grabbing eyeballs: A participant from Maharashtra sends the ball again in a seaside volleyball sport.
Photo:
Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
Swift strokes: Athletes take part within the 10-km open water swimming competitors.
Photo:
Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
Until one wins: Two ladies slug it out on the Pencak Silak competitors.
Photo:
Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
Champion of the water: Renukacharya Hodmani, representing Karnataka, secured the highest spot within the males’s class within the 10-km open water swimming contest.
Photo:
Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
Fine stability: Athletes carry out Mallakhamb on the opening ceremony.
Photo:
Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
With all their would possibly: The Kerala males’s tug of struggle staff in motion in the course of the ultimate match.
Photo:
Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
Radiant ending: Artists flip the closing ceremony of the Games to a celebration of the Union Territory because the aggressive rivalry involves an finish.
Published – June 15, 2025 11:35 am IST
