Berhampur, Sambalpur and Utkal were other three Odisha universities to win medals in the 10-day-long Games. Berhampur University occupied 40th place in the medals table with one gold, one silver and two bronze. Sambalpur University secured 45th position with one gold and one silver, while Utkal University finished 97th with just one bronze. Ironically, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack drew blank.

The six gold medals for Odisha varsities were captured by athletes Dutee Chand, Manisha Merel, weightlifter Manoj Kumar Sahu in individual events and KIIT women rugby and men archery squads in team events. Dutee, the World University Games gold medallist and fastest woman of India, justified her reputation by clinching a sprint double.

Representing KIIT University, Dutee grabbed the 100m gold with a university record time of 11.49 secs, beating the previous mark of 11.56 secs, achieved by N Simi of Mangalore University in 2018. She completed the double by adding the 200m gold with a time of 23.66 secs.

Manisha Merel of Sambalpur University claimed gold medal in women long jump with a leap of 6.22m. She also improved on her 6.20m effort that fetched her the bronze medal in the All-India Inter-University Championships last month. Deepali Mahapatra salved some reputation for Utkal University by capturing bronze in womens 200m sprint with a time of 25.19 secs.

Odisha weightlifters also achieved notable success, garnering one gold, one silver and two bronze. Manoj Kumar Sahu made Berhampur University proud, bagging gold medal in mens 73kg class with a total lift 267 kg, which included 115 kg in snatch and 152 kg in clean & jerk.

A silver medal winner in U-21 boys 73kg class at the Khelo India Youth Games in Guwahati last month, Manoj also improved on his own mark of 264 kg there. Pramila Kirsani secured one silver medal for Berhampur University, finishing second in women 55 kg category. She lifted 71 kg in snatch and 91 kg in clean and jerk for a total of 162 kg.

Kumbheswar Mallik (Born 20 June, 2002), a product of weightlifting High Performance Centre in Odisha, won one bronze medal for KIIT in mens 55 kg group with a total lift of 210 kg. He lifted 92 kg in snatch and 118 kg in clean and jerk. Banita Ghadei (Born 15 May, 1999) of Berhampur University won one bronze medal in women 87kg class with 73kg in snatch and 87kg in clean & jerk for a total of 160kg.

A three-member KIIT archery squad, consisting of Ranjit Naik, Suryamani Majhi and Sraban Kumar Mandagi won the yellow metal in mens recurve team event. Earlier, Ranjit Naik secured silver medal in individual recurve event.

KIIT women rugby team emerged champions, defeating Pataliputra University 31-7 in the final match. Earlier in the semifinals, KIIT women got the better of GNDU University 27-0. KIIT men claimed bronze medal with a 32-0 win over Lovely Professional University, Phagwara. Earlier in the semifinals, KIIT men lost to Shivaji University 0-24.

Sambalpur women hockey team received silver medal after losing to ITM University, Madhya Pradesh in the final by 1-4 goals on February 28. Earlier in the semifinals, Sambalpur University outplayed MD University, Haryana 5-2.

SAMBALPUR UNIVERSITY WOMEN HOCKEY SQUAD: Kumudini Lakra (GK), Bharati Ekka, Amrita Tirkey, Laxmi Ekka, Sarita Kerketta, Premita Bara, Rinki Kujur, Khusbu Kujur (Captain), Premanjali Toppo, Dipti Lakra, Ashim Kanchan Barla, Gayatri Kissan, Janhabi Pradhan, Rahil Tirkey, Saraswati Oram, Namrata Jasmin Bara, Abinasi Mukti Surin, Rosalia Lakra (GK). Coach: Satya Rout; Manager: Amy Joshlin Kujur.
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TOP: KIIT sprinter Dutee Chand in action at the Khelo India University Games in Bhubaneswar on 1 March, 2020.
RIGHT: KIIT archers (L to R) Sraban Kumar Mandagi, Suryamani Majhi and Ranjit Naik (1 st from R) with their coach Rajesh Hasdak in Bhubaneswar on 26 February, 2020.