The Khelo India Winter Games 2024 concluded on a high note on February 6, with over 3,000 enthusiastic fans enduring icy conditions to witness the thrilling ice-hockey finals on Tuesday. In a spectacular turn of events, the Army thwarted ITBP's bid for a double victory. The men's final concluded with Army emerging victorious, securing a 3-1 win after a dramatic shootout. On the women's front, ITBP claimed the title, defeating the hosts Ladakh with an impressive 4-0 score.

In a well-contested final, the first period ended 0-0. Army opened the scoring in the ninth minute of the second period through Tsewang Dorjay. Mohammed Ismail equalised for ITBP soon after. At the end of the third period, the score stood 1-1. Two periods of extra time did not produce a result. In the shootout, Army scored twice to settle the issue.

“Our rivalry with the ITBP has been going on for a long time, and today's match was the hardest in the series. We knew it would be exciting, but we were surprised by the huge crowd and the support from the public. It reminded us that winning on our home turf is something special. We know we could have played better, but we're still happy that we came out on top in the end,” said Stanzin Phandey, the Army team captain.
 
This is the first time that women’s ice hockey was included in the Khelo India Winter Games programme. For the ITBP girls, winning the gold in Ladakh’s home ground was a sweet experience. The two teams had met in the title round of the nationals in Kaza, Himachal Pradesh in January this year. ITBP won the title. Himachal Pradesh and Telangana were the other two teams at KIWG 2024.
 
ITBP captain Tashi Dolker said: “It feels like a historic moment to be the first women’s champions at the Khelo India Winter Games 2024. This is a very important win for us as in the Kaza nationals we won via a shootout. This win is thus far more satisfying.”
 
The UT of Ladakh hosted the Khelo India Winter Games for the first time. Leh hosted two sports – ice hockey and speed skating. Part 2 of KIWG has been scheduled in Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir from February 21-25. Gulmarg will stage four sports.

Maharashtra finished on top of the medal standings winning 20 skating medals that included six golds. Karnataka also finished with six golds but their total count of eight as against Maharashtra’s 20, relegated them to the Number 2 position in the standings. Hosts Ladakh, who won a pair of historic Khelo India golds in speed skating, finished third with a combined haul of 13 medals.

 
The skating competition ended late on February 5. All eyes were on professional skater Shruti Kotwal of Maharashtra. The 32-year-old speed skater, who trains and competes in the US, participated in the Khelo India Winter Games for the first time and did not disappoint. It was a sweet homecoming after 15 years.
 
At the frozen Gupuks Pond, a slightly tentative Shruti comfortably won both the long-track events (1000 and 500 m) in the above-17 years’ category with a timing of 1:00.56 seconds and 1:49.25 seconds, respectively. The difference in timings between the winner and the others in the 1000 m race was very conspicuous. Shruti holds the national record in the 500m with timing of 41.97 seconds.
 
This edition of the KIWG 2024 has been historic for Ladakh. After the hosts won the women’s short track 1600m relay gold, the long track skaters -- Padma Angmo, Insha Fatima, and Tasnia Shamim (Ladakh) did a commendable 1-2-3 in the under-17 1000 metres race at Gupuks. Maharashtra added three long-track skating golds to catch with Karnataka’s six and overtake them on the cumulative count. 

SKATING RESULTS AT A GLANCE
 
Women’s Above-17 long track (1000m) final
1.     Shruti Kotwal (Maharashtra) – 1:49.25 sec
2.     Yarramsetty Devi Chandana Tejaswini Bai (Andhra Pradesh) – 3:46.50 sec
3.     Saniya Thakur (Himachal Pradesh) – 3:52.28 sec
 
Women’s U-17 long track (1000m) final
1.     Padma Angmo (Ladakh) – 2:07.00 sec
2.     Insha Fatima (Ladakh) – 2:07.47 sec
3.     Tasnia Shamim (Ladakh) – 2:10.50 sec
 
Women’s Above-17 long track (500m) final
1.     Shruti Kotwal (Maharashtra) – 1:00.56 sec
2.     Padhma Chorol (Ladakh) – 1:02.00 sec
3.     Saniya Thakur (Himachal Pradesh) – 2:09.18
 
Women’s U17 long track (500m) final
1.     Udreka Singh (Madhya Pradesh) – 1:04.54 sec
2.     Skarma Tsultim (Ladakh) – 1:05.78 sec
3.     Padma Angmo (Ladakh) – 1:07.18 sec
 
Men’s 17+ long track (1000m) final
1.     Anubhav Gupta (UP) – 1:40.16 sec
2.     Omkara Yograj (Karnataka) – 1:42.84 sec
3.     Stanzin Jampal (Ladakh) – 1:43.78 sec
 
 Men’s U-17 long track (1000m) final
1.     Srivatsa Rao (Karnataka) – 1:47.91 sec
2.     Mohammed Saquaf Raza (Ladakh) – 1:51.41 sec
3.     Vyom Sawant (Maharashtra) – 1:52.96 sec
 
Men’s 17+ long track (500m) final
1.     Omkara Yogaraj (Karnataka) – 53.40 sec
2.     Anubhav Gupta (UP) – 53.75 sec
3.     Stanzin Jampal (Ladakh) – 56.73 sec
 
Men’s U-17 long track (500m) final
1.     Vyom Sawant (Maharashtra) – 53.78 sec
2.     Srivatsa Rao (Karnataka) – 56.56 sec
3.     Mohammed Saquaf Raza (Ladakh) – 58.93
 
Ice-hockey men’s final: Army beat ITBP 3-1 (1-1)
Ice-hockey women’s final: ITBP beat Ladakh 4-0.