2nd Manipur Olympic Games concludes, Imphal West emerge overall champions with 103 gold medals

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Aug 30 : The 2nd edition of Manipur Olympic Games organised by Manipur Olympic Association came to a close today after 5 days of actions.
Imphal West emerged overall team champions with a record haul of 103 gold, 96 silver and 70 bronze medals in the 34-sports discipline games held at different venues while Imphal East clinched overall runners up with a total of 99 gold, 84 silver and 89 bronze medals.
Bishnupur on the other hand secured the second runners up spot with 65 gold, 31 silver and 40 bronze medals.
Sadly, three districts of the 16 participating returned empty handed and 9 districts failed to open gold medal accounts reflecting  immense disparity among the districts and participation in this second edition of the Games organised thanks to Manipur Olympic Association's effort after a gap of almost 3 decades after the first edition was held.  The tally also reflected the need for giving extra emphasis to ensure proper training opportunities and encouragement towards sports in these low performing districts from all concerned before the next edition of the State games.
Last day highlights
BADMINTON
Bishnupur district won the men's singles and women singles titles in the 2nd Manipur Olympic Games Badminton.
In the women's singles final, Bishnupur's Vilinda Huidrom notched up an easy 21-5 21-6 win over Sagorika Naorem of Kakching to seal the gold medal. Meanwhile Hemam Malemnganba carved out a 21-15, 21-18 win over Chingangbam Ritesh of Imphal West to earn the men's singles gold.
Imphal West claimed the mixed doubles gold earlier as Vikson Chirom and Angita Naorem won 21-17 21-14 over the IE pair of Nongthombam Avinash and Moirangthem Priya.
Later in the women's doubles competition, Imphal East's Konsam Gunjan and Moirangthem Priya won the gold before Thoubal claimed the men's doubles gold with Bidyachandra Khundrakpam and Saikhom Gung Singh snatching a 21-18 21-9 win over Alen RK and Haobijam Rohenkumar in the final.
VOLLEYBALL :IW, Senapati seal top honours
Imphal West claimed the men's title as Senapati won the women's crown in the 2nd Olympic Games Volleyball held at Heirok Volleyball Court.
In the men's final, Imphal West thumped Bishnupur 25-16 25-12 25-21 to earn the top honour as Kamjong beat Noney 25-21 24-26 30-28 25-16 in the bronze medal match.
Meanwhile in the women's competition, Senapati edged Churachandpur 25-23 18-25 25-14 21-25 15-10 in a nip and tuck final encounter.
In the third place encounter, Kamjong beat Ukhrul 29-27 15-25 25-7 25-19.
TAEKWONDO : IW top tally with 9 gold
Imphal West emerged Taekwondo champions with a haul of 9 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze medals as Bishnupur finished second with 6 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze medals.
IE finished third with a haul of 6 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze medals.
On the first day of the competition, IW team of Nongdaren Khaba, Robinson Konjengbam and Jetlee Chabungbam won the poomsae gold before the women's team of Sapam Nancy, Soraisam Lamnganbi and Priyadarshini added another gold getting better of IE team.
In the men's individual poomsae event, Nongdaren Khaba won the gold finishing ahead of Ningthoujam Redas of Bishnupur.
IE's Pushpatolly Mangshatabam clinched the women's individual gold beating Sapam Nancy of IW before Nongdaren Khaba and Sapam Nancy win the mixed pair gold beating Bishnupur pair of Ningthoujam Redas and Thokchom Sophiya as IE mixed team of Tokpam Tyson and Pushpatolly bagged the bronze.
On Day, IE added two gold medals with Naoroibam Jina beating Naorem Reema of IW for the women's 46 kg female Kyorugi gold and Priyanka Leitanthem beating N Helena of IW for the U-62 kg category gold.
Bishnupur's Thiyam Lucky won the U-53 kg Kyorugi gold beating Thoubal's Kanchan Keisham before Soibam Tina bagged the U-73 kg category gold.
In the men's Kyorugi events, Maimom Devjit of IW beat Soubam Suresh of Bishnupur of the below 54 kg gold, Moirangthem Sanahal of IW beat RK Dhanajit of Bishnupur for the U-63 kg category gold, P Johnson of Bishnupur beat Iliyas Khan of Thoubal for the U-74 kg category gold before Pebam Tejson of Bishnupur beat Toijam Tondonsana of IE  for the U-83 kg category gold.
In the men's kyorugi events staged on Day 3, Brahmacharimayum Rahul of Bishnupur won the below 58 kg category gold beating Loktongbam Yaiphaba of IW, Moirangthem Pareihanba of IE beat Ningthoujam Welson of Bishnupur for the U-68 kg category gold, Wahengbam Arson of Bishnupur beat Ranbir Moirangthem of Thoubal for the U-80 kg category gold before Kelvin Yumnam of IW claimed the +87 kg category gold.
In the women's event, Priyadarshini Mayengbam of IW (below 49 kg), Binita  Laishram of IE (U-57 kg), Maibam Tolika of IE (U-67 kg) and Khumanthem Sanatombi of Bishnupur (+73 kg) won gold medals.
ATHLETICS : IW, IE win hammer throw gold medals
IW's M Devraj Luwang recorded 34.69 m throw to win the men's hammer throw gold. S Maipaksana of IE who posted 34.02 m and S Sanajaoba of Bishnupur who posted 22.81 m bagged silver and bronze medals.
In the women's competition, N Ichantombi of IE took the gold medal with  25.59 m throw to finish ahead of IW's S Laxmi (23.93 m) and M Arundati (21.38 m).
BASKETBALL : IE win men's gold, Senapati crowned women's champs
Imphal East emerged men's Basketball champions as Senapati sealed the women's crown here at Brahmapur Nahabam Basketball Court.
In the men's final, Imphal East beat Imphal West 68-61 as Tamenglong beat Churachandpur  55-54 for the bronze medal. Meanwhile, Senapati beat Imphal East 36-24 to win the women's title. Imphal West in the meantime sealed the third place title beating Ukhrul 28-24.