Mina Santa-B is the junior one, who hails from Kenduguda village. Daughter of Narsu Santa and Bangari Santa, she was born on 27 March 2008. She won a gold medal at a National ranking tournament in Patna, Bihar last year. Interestingly, the senior Mina competes in 55kg weight class, while the junior one participates in 59kg category.

The Santa sisters also created confusion in the ongoing Asmita Khelo India Women`s Weightlifting Zonal League (Zone A) at Biju Patnaik Weightlifting Hall, Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar today as they stole the show, bagging five medals together (three gold, one silver and bronze). One leading newspaper wrote that the five medal were bagged one lifter, named Mina Santa!

But the fact was: Mina Santa-A captured two gold and one bronze, while Mina Santa-B pocketed one gold and one silver. However, Riding on the awesome performance of Santa sisters, host Odisha reaped a rich harvest of 10 medals on Day-2 to increase their total of 15 medals in the four-day competition. The 15 medals featured six gold, three silver and six bronze.

Among other Odisha medal winners of the day, Rima Bhoi captured the gold in 59kg senior category, while Sneha Soren secured one silver in 55kg senior group. Alisha Behera (59kg youth), Bidusmita Bhoi (59kg junior) and Mina Singh (55kg youth) chipped in with one bronze each.

Odisha hockey Olympian Birendra Lakra, athletics Olympian Srabani Nanda and cycling Arjuna Awardee Minati Mohapatra were prominent guests of the day and handed over the medals as well as cash prizes.

ODISHA MEDAL WINNERS:

Gold: Mina Santa-A, 55kg Youth (Snatch 82kg, clean & jerk 96kg, Total 178kg), 12 July 2024.
Gold: Mina Santa-A, 55kg Junior (Snatch 82kg, clean & jerk 96kg, Total 178kg), 12 July 2024.
Gold: Mina Santa-B, 59kg Youth (Snatch 73kg, clean & jerk 91kg, Total 164kg), 12 July 2024.
Gold: Rima Bhoi, 59kg Senior (Snatch 82kg, clean & jerk 103kg, Total 185kg), 12 July 2024.

Silver: Mina Santa-B, 59kg Junior (Snatch 73kg, clean & jerk 91kg, Total 164kg), 12 July 2024.
Silver: Sneha Soren, 55kg Senior (Snatch 80kg, clean & jerk 108kg, Total 188kg), 12 July 2024.

Bronze: Alisha Behera, 59kg Youth (Snatch 61kg, clean & jerk 81kg, Total 142kg), 12 July 2024.
Bronze: Bidusmita Bhoi, 59kg Junior (Snatch 72kg, clean & jerk 92kg, Total 164kg), 12 July 2024.
Bronze: Mina Singh, 55kg Youth (Snatch 71kg, clean & jerk 85kg, Total 156kg), 12 July 2024.
Bronze: Mina Santa-A, 55kg Senior (Snatch 82kg, clean & jerk 96kg, Total 178kg), 12 July 2024.
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TOP: Mina Santa-A (2nd from right) poses with one of her two gold medals at the Asmita Khelo India Womens Weightlifting Zonal League in Bhubaneswar on 12 July 2024. Also seen in the picture is hockey Olympian Birendra Lakra.
RIGHT: Odisha girls Mina Santa-B (Centre) and Alisha Behera (2nd from right) show their gold and bronze medal respectively at the Asmita Khelo India Womens Weightlifting Zonal League in Bhubaneswar on 12 July 2024. Also seen in the picture is Olympic sprinter Srabani Nanda.