Khelo India Beach Games: Haryana women, Delhi men clinch sepaktakraw gold

Diu, Jan 8 (PTI) Haryana women and Delhi men ended Bihar’s hopes of winning a gold medal in sepaktakraw as they registered contrasting victories in the finals at the Khelo India Beach Games 2026, at the Ghoghla Beach here on Thursday.

In the women’s sepaktakraw final, Haryana came back strong to beat Bihar 2-1 in the contest which lasted an hour and 15 minutes, while Delhi men inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Bihar.

In beach soccer, defending champions Odisha registered a dominating 7-0 win over debutants Himachal Pradesh to reach the women’s final.

Srijana Tamang, Satyabati Khadia and Khundongbam Ambalika scored two goals each for the winners.

In the second women’s semifinal, Gujarat’s rousing start saw them score four goals in the first quarter, and it was enough for them to register a 6-3 win over Arunachal Pradesh.

Skipper Giani Ramching Mara scored one goal each in all the three quarters for the losing side but did not get much support from the others.

Goa had two teams in the men's volleyball semifinals. While one went on to emerge champions, the other team lost the bronze playoff.

The second Goan team won the men's beach volleyball with a hard-fought 21-18, 21-13 win over Tamil Nadu.

TN’s women’s team of Deepika and Pavithra came from a set down to beat teammates Swathi and Dharshini 19-21, 21-12, 15-6 in the first semifinal and will now face Pondicherry’s Revathi and Swetha in the gold medal match.

The Khelo India Beach Games 2026, organised by the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, is being held under the technical supervision of the Sports Authority of India and national sports federations.

The second edition of Khelo India Beach Games 2026 is witnessing over 1,100 participants compete in eight different sports -- volleyball, soccer, sepaktakraw, kabaddi, pencak silat, Open water swimming, mallakhamb and tug-of-war.

The first six will be medal sports and 32 gold medals are up for grabs. PTI TAP DDV