Lucknow: A three-day State Level Sub-Junior Boys and Girls Judo Championship concluded in Lucknow under the aegis of the Uttar Pradesh Directorate of Sports and the Regional Sports Office. On the final day, Advocate Vinod Kumar Sahi, representing the Uttar Pradesh Government, attended as the chief guest and presented medals to the winning athletes.
At the end of the competition, Meerut Division secured the overall championship title, while Moradabad Division finished as the runner-up.
Among the distinguished guests present on the occasion were Mahesh Gupta, retired Additional Chief Secretary; Mudrika Pathak, Deputy Director (Sports); Sudhir Halwasiya, President of the Uttar Pradesh Judo Association; Animesh Saxena, Regional Sports Officer, Ayodhya; Munawwar Anzar, General Secretary of the association; and Afreen Kidwai representing CSR initiatives. Regional Sports Officer Dr. Atul Sinha welcomed the chief guest and other dignitaries with bouquets and ceremonial shawls.
In the boys’ category, Sagar (Meerut Division) won gold in the 30 kg category, while Karan (Saharanpur Division) topped the 35 kg class and Rudra Sharma (Moradabad Division) secured first place in the 40 kg event. Shivam (Saharanpur Division) claimed gold in the 45 kg category, while Yogesh Yadav (Varanasi Division) won the 50 kg division. Other notable winners included Shubh Sharma (Meerut Division) in 55 kg, Nitish Kumar (Saharanpur Sports Hostel) in 60 kg, and Lakshya Tyagi (Meerut Division) in 66 kg.
In the girls’ events, Aradhya Singh (Moradabad Division) won gold in 28 kg, Gaurangi (Saharanpur Division) in 32 kg, and Lavanya Goyal (Moradabad Division) in 36 kg. Aradhya Bhardwaj (Meerut Division) secured the 40 kg title, while Bhumi (Meerut Division) and Avisha Rawat (Moradabad Division) topped the 44 kg and 48 kg categories respectively. Shashi Verma (Gorakhpur Division) and Navya (Meerut Division) clinched gold in the 52 kg and 57 kg divisions.
The championship witnessed enthusiastic participation from athletes representing various divisions across the state and concluded with a prize distribution ceremony held at the K. D. Singh Babu Stadium. Officials said the tournament provided a strong platform for young judo players to showcase their skills and prepare for higher-level competitions.
