Two southern states, Telangana and Karnataka, claimed gold medals in speed skating on Day 2 of the Khelo India Winter Games 2025 in Leh on Friday. Telangana’s 15-year-old Nayana Sri Talluri earned the first gold medal of KIWG 2025. She completed a ‘hattrick’ by winning the women’s 500m short track gold at NDS Stadium. Nayana, who won the same title in the under-17 category last year.
It was an impressive victory. She clocked 1:01.35 seconds and beat skaters from Karnataka and Maharashtra. She won the KIWG 2023 in Gulmarg. Unlike KIWG 2024, which had two skating divisions – under-17 and 17 years or older – the skating competition this time is open. With numerous top Indian skaters training in Korea and China for the Asian Winter Games in February, this year’s competition will feature some of the country’s best junior skaters.
Nayana is one of them. She won two gold medals at KIWG 2024 and a 3000m women’s relay gold in the 2024 Asian Open Short Track Speed Skating Championship in Jakarta in August. She has been increasing her exposure and experience. Khelo India Winter Games are more than just about earning medals. It’s about accumulating experience and setting greater standards. However, he did not win the gold medal in Leh.
Another Stat in Winter Games History
Guru Harshan H of Tamil Nadu was pleased to finish second in his maiden long track Khelo India Winter Games race. Harshan, 14, ended behind Karnataka’s Harshith K, who won the second skating gold medal of the day at Gupuks Pond. Sachin Singh from Haryana finished third. Harshan won bronze in the Ice Skating Association of India’s open tournament for the under-10 group in 2019.
Harshan also competed in the third Khelo India Winter Games in Gulmarg in short-track speed skating in 2023. Guru attended KIWG 2025, a week-long camp in Gulmarg funded by the Tamil Nadu government. The ice hockey competition also serves as a learning opportunity for teams from Haryana, Maharashtra, Chandigarh, and Rajasthan. So far, the top teams in the league, including the Army, ITBP, and Ladakh, have had smooth sailing.
