Mangaluru: The inaugural day of the Karnataka Sports Meet witnessed electrifying performances in the Wushu events held at the Karnataka State Government Employees’ Hall in Mangaluru. Athletes from Dakshina Kannada and Bagalkote districts dominated the competition, securing top honors across multiple categories.

In the men’s category, Dakshina Kannada’s Yash Kumar clinched gold in the 48 kg division, while Bagalkote’s Sagar D. Kuri took silver. Sagar N. Kannur of Vijayapura and Adiraj R. Patil of Belagavi shared the bronze. Bagalkote’s Anil Patel shone in the 52 kg category, securing gold, while Dakshina Kannada’s Prateek Acharya took silver. Prem N. Sanap from Vijayapura and Poornachandra from Mandya shared the bronze medal.

The competition heated up in the 56 kg division, where Bagalkote’s Vinod G. Talwar bagged gold, followed by C.R. Vijaykumar from Vijayanagara with silver. Ganesh Poojari from Gadag and Harshavardhan Naik from Ramanagara shared the bronze. Belagavi’s Rohit emerged victorious in the 60 kg division, while silver went to Bagalkote’s Rajesab I. Baragi. Dakshina Kannada’s Manju Prakash Aregowda and Uttara Kannada’s Naveen Patagar secured the bronze medals.

The women’s events were equally competitive, with Bengaluru’s Megha Raghunath claiming gold in the 45 kg category. Bagalkote’s Lakshmavva Hanamar took silver, while Aishwarya from Koppal and Chaitra B. from Dharwad shared the bronze. In the 48 kg division, Sushmitha from Bagalkote clinched gold, followed by Jaslin Shona D’Souza from Dakshina Kannada with silver. Srivardhani Anil from Vijayapura and Parimala from Koppal shared the bronze medals.

One of the standout performances came from Megha Raghunath, daughter of a Bengaluru-based driver. Her passion for Wushu began at a young age, and despite financial struggles, she excelled in the sport. Megha has been pursuing Wushu for a decade, funding her participation in events through part-time work at a shop.

Bagalkote’s Anil Patil, who secured gold in the men’s 52 kg Wushu division, also faced financial challenges. Supporting his family through painting work during holidays, Anil has competed in various state and national-level tournaments, earning accolades for his dedication and skill.

Weightlifting: Coastal Athletes Shine Again

The weightlifting events on the first day of the meet saw outstanding performances from lifters from Dakshina Kannada and Bengaluru. In the men’s 55 kg category, Manoj R.G. of SDM College, Ujire, lifted a total of 192 kg (82 kg snatch and 110 kg clean & jerk) to secure gold. Belagavi’s Ronith K. Murukute won silver with a lift of 170 kg, and Mohammed Ameer from Alva’s College, Moodbidri, claimed bronze with 167 kg.

Nagaraj Kanni from Alva’s College triumphed in the men’s 61 kg category with a total lift of 220 kg (95 kg snatch and 125 kg clean & jerk). Rahifan J. from Mangala Throwers Academy took silver, while Ranjan R.K. from Jain Junior College earned bronze.

In the women’s 45 kg category, Pallavi from DYES, Bengaluru, lifted 136 kg to win gold, while Spandana K. from SPC Puttur secured silver with 133 kg. Shivani Machayya from SPC Puttur bagged bronze with 89 kg. Bengaluru’s Lakshmi B. from Sanjeevi Shetty Club won gold in the women’s 49 kg division with a lift of 156 kg. Silver went to Amrutha S.R. from SDM Ujire, and Harshitha M. from the Mysuru Weightlifting Association claimed bronze.

The Karnataka Sports Meet continues to highlight the immense talent and determination of athletes from across the state, with many overcoming personal and financial hurdles to achieve their dreams.