Remarking on the grand success of the National Games 2022, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the sporting infrastructure was widely appreciated by the athletes, and the games will remembered for the focus on sustainability including furthering awareness on recycling, reducing plastic waste and enhancing cleanliness. The Prime Minister lauded the people and Government of Gujarat for their hospitality.
As per a press release from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the 29-year-old Sajan Prakash won eight medals, with five individual gold, two silver and a bronze, to pip Srihari Nataraj who also claimed eight medals in all, with six gold including two in relays.
After the National Games, Ankit will be returning to the national camp to prepare for the upcoming Senior National Boxing Championships in December. He also has one eye on the Asian Games and the World Championships, which will also serve as a qualifying event for the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Atanu Das, who had lost to Japan's Takaharu Furukawa of Japan in Tokyo, hasn't been able to make it to the Indian squad since then and was also dropped from the Target Olympic Podium scheme. The West Bengal archer's tribulations came to an end as he won the Men's Individual Recurve gold.
In the Men's semifinals, played at the PDDU Indoor Stadium here on Wednesday, Sai Praneeth downed M Raghu of Karnataka 21-12, 21-19 while Mithun was clearly the dominant player in his 21-9, 21-11 victory over Gujarat's Aryamann Tandon
Meanwhile, nine of the 13 boxers participating at the Asian Championships, including World Championship bronze medallist Shiva Thapa (67kg, Assam) and two-time Commonwealth Games medallist Mohammed Hussamuddin (57kg, Services), will lead the roster in the men's events at the National Games.