Odisha bagged a total of 13 medals in the 38th National Junior Athletics Championships, which was held at Nehru Stadium in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu from 7 to 10 November 2023. The 13 medals featured two gold, four silver and seven bronze.

Bapi Hansda was most successful Odisha athlete, winning one gold each in men U-18 400m hurdles and 1000m sprint medley events. He also created a new meet record in 400m hurdles, clocking 51.60 second.

Pratik Maharana, Astik Pradhan and Mohammad Basha were other three runners of the Odisha quartet that won 1000m sprint medley gold medal, also with a new meet record of 1:54.37.

The four silver medals were secured by Susmita Tigga, Tejaswani Dhal, P Arpita Archana Sahoo and Merymukta Soreng. The seven bronze medals winners include Rajendra Sidhu, Sabita Toppo, Ommkar Nanda, Sunita Santa, Dondapati Mruty Jayaram, Odisha U-20 men 4x100m relay team and U-20 mixed 4x400 relay team.

ODISHA MEDAL WINNERS:

November 7:
Silver (Women U-20): Merymukta Soreng, triple jump (12.44m).

November 8:
Bronze (Mixed U-20): Odisha (Balabhadra Bhatra, Pankaj Mondal, Laxmipriya Kisan, Susmita Tigga) 4x400 relay.

November 9:
Silver (Women U-20): Susmita Tigga, 3000m steeplechase (10:49.79).
Silver (Girls U-14): Tejaswani Dhal, kids javelin (38.51m).
Silver (Women U-20): P Arpita Archana Sahoo, Javelin throw (44.20m).
Bronze (Men U-18): Rajendra Sidhu, 110m hurdles (13.95s).
Bronze (Women U-20): Sabita Toppo, 100m hurdles (14.32s).
Bronze (Men U-18): Ommkar Nanda, shot put (18.10m) Nov 9
Bronze (Women U-18): Sunita Santa, 2000m steeplechase (7:41.08).
Bronze (Men U-20): Odisha (Mahendra Santa, D Jayaram, Bhima Sardar, Saswat Kumar Sahoo) 4x100m relay (43.10s).

November 10:
Gold (Men U-18): Pratik Maharana, Astik Pradhan, Mohammad Basha, Bapi Hansda (1000m sprint medley, 1:54.37 *NMR).
Gold (Men U-18): Bapi Hansda, 400m hurdles (51.60 *NMR).
Bronze (Men U-20): Dondapati Mruty Jayaram, 100m run (10.58s).
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PHOTO: Some of the Odisha medallists with coaches and support staff at the 38th National Junior Athletics Championships in Coimbatre on 10 November 2023.