Telangana’s Nayana wins second gold at Khelo India Winter Games

Telangana’s Nayana Sri Talluri clinched her second gold medal at the Khelo India Winter Games in Ladakh, winning the 1000m short track event. She became the third skater to secure two individual golds, highlighting India’s rising ice skating talent

Hyderabad: Telangana’s Nayana Sri Talluri won her second straight gold medal from the short-course skating rink at NDS in the Khelo India Winter Games in Ladakh on Sunday.

The Calgary-based teenager started comfortably and then shifted gears midway through the 1000m short track. One of Nayana’s chief rivals, Ladakh’s skating star Skarma Tsultim, while trying to accelerate, crashed out of the competition.

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Tactically better, Nayana warded off a stiff challenge from Maharashtra’s Anvayee Deshpande to clinch the gold medal with a timing of 1:43.32. Anvayee won silver with 1:43.43, while teammate Schaleen Fernandes took bronze (1:46.41).

Nayana thus became the third ice skater in KIWG 2026 to win two gold medals, both individual.

With one day to go, Haryana’s Sachin Singh and Ladakh’s Skarma Tsultim both have two golds each (individual and relay). Late on Saturday, Ladakh were awarded the women’s 1000m long track gold, an event marred by a snowstorm at Gupukh’s Pond. Skarma had led a Ladakh 1-2-3 in that race.

Maharashtra won their first gold medal on Sunday. Ishaan Darvekar (1:35.57) won the men’s 1000m short track at NDS Stadium. It was Ishaan’s second medal in KIWG 2026, after his silver in the men’s 500m short track. Telangana won both silver and bronze in this event.

In more pristine conditions at Gupukh’s Pond on Sunday afternoon, Karnataka’s 18-year-old Srivatsa S Rao stunned the field as he raced away to men’s gold in the 1000m long track ice skating event.