PANAJI
The 38th National Games will be held in Uttarakhand from 28 January – 14 February 2025. A strong 150-member Goan contingent comprising of 121 athletes (84 male and 37 female) will participate in 19 disciplines in these games. 29 coaches will also accompany them.
Goan athletes will take part in Archery, Athletics, Beach Handball, Beach Volleyball, Boxing, Cycling, Football, Handball, Modern Pentathlon, Shooting, Squash, Swimming, Taekwondo, Triathlon, Weightlifting, Wushu, Kallariyapayattu, Mallakhamb and Yogasana.
During the 37th National Games held in Goa from 26 October – 9 November 2023, Goa had won a record number of 92 medals (27 gold, 27 silver and 38 bronze) to finish ninth overall in the medal tally, its best ever showing at the Games.
During those Games, the Goan contingent had won medals in 16 disciplines - Athletics, Billiards and Snooker, Beach Soccer, Boxing, Modern Pentathlon, Netball, Pencak Silat, Sepak Takraw, Sqay Martial Arts, Squash, Swimming, Taekwondo, Weightlifting, Wushu, Yachting and Yogasana.
But, that performance gave a ‘false’ narrative of Goa’s sporting prowess simply because majority of the medals that Goa had won were only with the support of ‘outstation’ players.
In fact, the 92 medals that Goa won during 2023 National Games were more than the total number of medals the state had won from the past nine editions of National Games combined; wherein it won five (Gujarat 2022), eleven (Kerala 2015), sixteen (Jharkhand 2011), five (Assam 2007), seven (Andhra Pradesh 2002), four (Punjab 2001), three (Manipur 1999), three (Karnataka 1997) and three (Maharashtra 1994) medals respectively.
Well, Goa is unlikely to achieve those numbers or come even remotely close at the Uttarakhand Games.
However, there is a silver lining. Babu Gaonkar (Modern Pentathlon) and Akanksha Salunke (Squash), both gold medal winners, during last National Games are part of Goa’s squad for the Uttarakhand Games and are among the strong medal prospects for the state.
Shrungi Bandekar (Swimming) who had won three medals during last Games is another strong contender.
Goa will also look forward to the dynamic beach volleyball pair comprising of Rama Dhawaskar and Nitin Sawant to bring the state a medal.
Another strong medal prospect for the state will be Goa’s men’s football team. Although, they could not win a medal during last National Games, they finished runners-up during last edition of the prestigious Santosh Trophy and will be looking forward to carry on the good form.
In the past, Goa has done well in Boxing, Modern Pentathlon, Taekwondo and Triathlon at the National Games wherein the state has won medals. And this time around, medals can be expected from these sports.
Demonstration sports such as Mallakhamb, Kallariyapayattu and Yogasana could also fetch a few medals for the state.
The performance at the Uttarakhand Games will reflect the true progress the state has made in the sporting arena. Goa will look forward to at least cross the double-digit mark in terms of medals.
