Khelo India Beach Games 2026: Haryana women, Delhi men clinch sepak-takraw gold
Diu, Jan 8 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Haryana women and Delhi men put paid to Bihar’s hopes of winning a gold medal in Sepak-takraw as they registered contrasting victories in the finals of the Khelo India Beach Games 2026 at the Ghoghla Beach in Diu on Thursday.
In the women’s sepak-takraw final, Haryana came back strong after losing the opening regu to beat Bihar 2-1 in a match that lasted an hour and 15 minutes, while Delhi men inflicted a straight 2-0 defeat on Bihar.
In Beach Soccer, defending champions Odisha registered a dominating 7-0 win over debutants Himachal Pradesh to reach the women’s final. Srijana Tamang, Satyabati Khadia, and Khundongbam Ambalika scored two goals each for the winners.
In the second semifinal in the women’s section, Gujarat’s rousing start saw them score four goals in the first quarter, which was enough for them to register a 6-3 win over Arunachal Pradesh. Skipper Giani Ramching Mara scored one goal each in all three quarters for the losing side, but did not get much support from the others in front of the Gujarat goal.
In Beach Volleyball, Tamil Nadu will have a chance to win both the men’s and women’s gold medals. TN’s women’s team of Deepika and Pavithra came from a set down to beat teammates Swathi and Dharshini 19-21, 21-12, 15-6 in the first semi-final and will now face Pondicherry’s Revathi and Swetha in the gold medal match.
The men’s final will be played between Tamil Nadu’s Bharat and Rajesh and Goa’s Sawan and Gauns.
The Khelo India Beach Games 2026, organised by the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, is being held under the technical supervision of the Sports Authority of India and national sports federations.
The second edition of Khelo India Beach Games 2026 is witnessing over 1100 participants compete in eight different sports — volleyball, soccer, sepaktakraw, kabaddi, pencak silat, Open water swimming, mallakhamb, and tug-of-war. The first six will be medal sports, and 32 gold medals are up for grabs.
TODAY’S RESULTS:
Beach Soccer (semifinals)
Women: Gujarat bt Arunachal Pradesh 6-3; Odisha bt Himachal Pradesh 7-0
Beach Sepaktakraw
Women: Gold – Haryana; Silver – Bihar; Bronze – Uttar Pradesh, Manipur
Men: Gold – Delhi; Silver – Bihar; Bronze – Manipur, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu
Beach Volleyball (semifinals)
(Women): Deepika/Pavithra (TN) bt Swathi/Dharshini (TN) 19-21, 21-12, 15-6; Revathi/Swetha (Pdy) bt Manasa/Mounika (AP) 21-10, 21-18
(Men): Sawan/Gauns (Goa) bt Poonthamizhan/Abhithan (TN) 21-18, 16-21, 15-12; Bharat/Rajesh (TN) bt Ramakrishna Dawaskar/Nithin Sawant (Goa) 21-13, 19-21, 15-8
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