Bowled over

A grand Twenty-20 cricket series, the Odisha Premier League, was held for the first time in the state this year. Held at various venues across Odisha, 10 teams participated in the event that took off on May 22 with a match between Katak Barabati Tigers and Bhubaneswar Jaguars. The multi-crore cricketing extravaganza was won by Western Samurai Rourkela, which beat the Katak Barabati Tigers. After this massive venture, the Odisha Cricket Association is ending the year on a high by playing host to the Women Senior National T-20 Championship that began at Barabati Stadium from December 30 and will conclude on January 6.

BEND IT LIKE SASMITA

Odia footballer Sasmita Mallik was named captain of the Indian women’s football team this year. The talented striker is the second from the state to hold the coveted position after Shradhanjali Samantaray. Sasmita led the Indian team, which included eight other Odia players, to Bahrain. She led the team to victory on the tour. Earlier, the Odisha women’s senior team won the national championship for the first time, remaining unbeaten in the entire tournament.

Weighty affair

The Senior National Weightlifting Championship for both men and women was hosted in Berhampur from December 24. At the event, women weightlifters Tikina Gopal and Seeta Jena won 5 gold and 1 silver. Earlier, weightlifters made Odisha proud with Minati Kumari Das, Pramila Kirsani, Subhasmita Mohanty and Achyutananda Sahoo winning a total of 11 gold and one silver medal in the Commonwealth Championship, which was held at Cape Town, South Africa, from October 10 to 15. Another major news for the sports fraternity of the state was weightlifter Ravi Kumar becoming the seventh sportsperson from Odisha to bag the coveted Arjuna Award in August.

Top gear

Odisha’s first-ever motor sports rally was held in Bhubaneswar on December 9 while the next two rounds were held in Chowdwar. Jointly organised by Kalinga Motor Sports Club and Bengal Motor Sports Club, the Rally of Odisha, a part of Speed Indian National Rally Championship, was won by noted driver Gaurav Gill. The participants included celebrated driver Musa Sherif among others.

Say chess

Odia chess players shone at the World Youth Chess Championships held in Brazil with U-8 player Saina Salonika and Debasish Das (U-18) winning a bronze medal each for India. Chess player from Puri, Aparajita Gochikar had grabbed the U-18 gold at the Commonwealth Chess Championship held in South Africa in June.

What a row

Rowers from Odisha showcased a brilliant performance with Amusana Devi claiming a silver medal in the women’s singles scull event of the 17th Junior Asian Rowing Championship in South Korea in October and Sanjukta Dung Dung and Manjula Xess winning a gold in the 14th Sub-Junior National Rowing Championship in 500m coxless pair.

Winners all the way

Among other achievements, Odia athlete Saraswati Chand returned home after bagging four medals in the 14th World Police & Fire Games at New York in September. Also, Odisha karate sensation Valena Valentina bagged two gold medals in the South Asian Karate Championship in New Delhi in November.

Namita Panda