Haryana Leads As Figure Skating Debuts At Khelo India Winter Games
Hiya Adlakha, a 15-year-old from Haryana, claimed the first gold in Novice Girls Free Skating: Reports
SRINAGAR: Leh witnessed history on Wednesday as figure skating made its dazzling debut at the sixth edition of the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) at the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan (NDS) Stadium.
The first four gold medals of the Games were decided in this elegant sport, with Haryana emerging as the frontrunner, clinching two golds. Uttarakhand and Kerala secured one gold each, placing Haryana at the top of the medal tally with five medals overall, including one silver and two bronze.
Twenty skaters from five states and two Union Territories competed in two categories – Novice Free Skating and Advanced Short Programme – judged on composition, presentation, and skating skills by officials from Taipei.
Hiya Adlakha, a 15-year-old from Haryana, claimed the first gold in Novice Girls Free Skating. Raised in a sports-loving family, Hiya’s journey is inspiring: from training alone due to limited resources to attending an Olympic Council of Asia camp in China and winning a national gold in 2025. Her dream? Representing India at World Cups and the Olympics.
In the Advanced Girls category, Haryana’s Gauri Rai, a seasoned skater with 10 national medals, dazzled in turquoise blue to secure gold. “This medal is a reward for years of discipline and perseverance,” she said. Gauri dreams of inspiring young girls to chase their ambitions.
Kerala’s Abhijith Amal Raj stole the spotlight in the Advanced Boys section with a technically superior performance, earning the highest score of the day.
Meanwhile, Ladakh’s favourite sport, ice hockey, kept the crowd roaring. In a thrilling men’s Group B clash, hosts Ladakh outclassed Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) 3-1. Stanzin Angchol opened the scoring in the first minute, while ITBP fought back through Nawang Zangpo. Two decisive goals from Tsering Angchuk in the final period sealed Ladakh’s victory in a contest brimming with speed and grit.
Wednesday ’s Figure Skating Gold Medallists
° Novice Girls Free Skating: Hiya Adlakha (Haryana)
° Novice Boys Free Skating: Adarsh Singh Rawat (Uttarakhand)
°Advanced Girls Short Programme: Gauri Rai (Haryana)
°Advanced Boys Short Programme: Abhijith Amal Raj (Kerala)