Odisha’s athletes made a strong finish on the final day of the 63rd National Open Athletics Championships in Bengaluru, securing two more medals to their state’s tally. Srabani Nanda, a celebrated sprinter, claimed the silver medal in the women’s 200m event, while Sushmita Tiga bagged the bronze in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, adding to Odisha’s impressive performance at the event held at Sree Kanteerava Stadium.

In the 200m final, Srabani clocked 23.83 seconds, narrowly beating Haryana’s Nancy, who finished just 0.01 seconds behind with a time of 23.84 seconds, securing the silver for Odisha. The gold was won by Nithya Gandhe of Railways, who completed the race in 23.51 seconds, marking a dominant victory and achieving a brilliant sprint double. This was Srabani’s second medal of the championships, as she had earlier earned a bronze in the women’s 4×100 relay event.

In the 3000m steeplechase, Sushmita Tiga secured a bronze medal with a time of 10 minutes 43.52 seconds. The top two positions were claimed by athletes from Railways, with Rebi Pal winning gold in 10:21.28, and Komal Jagdale finishing second with a time of 10:26.34.

The National Open Athletics Championships has been a significant platform for athletes across India to showcase their talent, and the achievements of Odisha’s athletes, particularly Srabani and Sushmita, highlight the state’s growing presence in national athletics.