Guwahati: The first edition of Assam Youth Olympics, 2022, concluded on Wednesday with the Guwahati team dominating the medals and three players sharing the tournament prize player.
The top three performers in the six-day event were Upasha Talukdar of Kamrup, who won four gold medals in gymnastics, Bivanjyoti Laskar of Morigaon for his outstanding achievements in football and Jahnabi Kashyap of Guwahati for her performance in the pool.
The Guwahati Sports District team reigned supreme at the top of the medal tally with a whopping 219 medals comprising 74 gold, 75 silver and 70 bronze.
They also took prize money of Rs 1 lakh.
Second place was taken by Sivasagar district team with a total of 69 medals, including 25 gold, 22 silver and 22 bronze, and took home a cash prize of Rs 75,000.
The Dibrugarh team came third in the medal tally with a total of 76 medals in his kitty, including 24 gold, 23 silver and 29 bronze. The team also got a prize money of Rs 50,000.
With a packed schedule of sporting events, 4,200 athletes took part in this first sporting extravaganza, spanning more than 35 sports held at 13 venues in and around Guwahati.
The event was organized by the Assam Olympic Association, under the auspices of the Department of Sports and Youth Welfare, Government of Assam, to provide a professional platform for emerging talent in the sports arena.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Prime Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Youth Olympic Games have brought sporting events, which had been pushed back by the COVID-19 pandemic, back to the fore.
He also took the opportunity to extend his best wishes to the Indian contingent at the Commonwealth Games, pointing out that sport is rapidly emerging as a viable career option.
“The Assam Youth Olympics will help scout talent from the grassroots level. The government works with society to scout and train talent,” Sarma said.
He also emphasized the role of sport as a connecting factor and in helping young people to stay off drugs.
Union minister and president of the Assam Olympic Association, Sarbananda Sonowal, said on the occasion that the games have revitalized the sports environment in the state and exposed youth to the brighter side of life.
He praised the achievements of the young players and urged them to continue their sporting pursuits for a healthy mind and body.
“This will go a long way in providing a launch pad for the players and athletes from the inner reaches of Assam,” added the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and AYUSH.
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