A 23-member Odisha squad bagged eight medals in the 4th East Zone Khelo India Womens Judo League, which was held at SAI Nehru Stadium in Shillong, Meghalaya from 16 to 19 August 2024. The eight medals include one gold, three silver and four bronze.

Smruti Pragyan Nayak from Paradeep was the most successful Odisha judoka, securing three medals in -78kg weight class. She claimed the lone gold in cadet category and one silver each in junior and senior groups. Smruti receives coaching from Biswajit Mahari and Lopa Mudra Pati.

The other silver medal for Odisha was won by Sara Mohapatra in sub-junior -52kg category. Sara is an inmate of Bhubaneswar Sports Hostel and takes coaching from Gitanjali Panda, who is also the CEO of Odisha State Judo Association.

Tanushree (Sub-junior -32kg), Sonia Gomango (Cadet -40kg), Duli Murmu (Junior -52kg) and Namrata Darjee (Junior -70kg) captured the four bronze medals for Odisha. Tanushree lives in Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar and trains under coach, Rajesh Kumar Nayak.

Both Sonia Gomango and Duli Murmu are students of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), Bhubaneswar. Both are groomed by coach, Kandan Murmu. Namrata Darjee hails from Balangir and her coach is Devendra Kumar Jain.
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PHOTO: Odisha medal winners pose with their coaches at the 4th East Zone Khelo India Womens Judo League in Shillong on 19 August 2024.