Raipur, March 26: Odisha’s 15-year-old swimmer Anjali Munda has made history by winning a gold medal at the Khelo India Tribal Games 2026. She is the first female gold medalist in this tournament.
Anjali’s journey is truly inspiring. In 2022, while in school, a sports teacher encouraged students to choose a sport. Anjali opted for swimming, having some familiarity with it. At that time, she had never received professional training, and swimming was merely a playful activity for her.
Hailing from a small village in Jajpur district of Odisha, Anjali enrolled at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences at the age of 10. This institute provides free education and accommodation for tribal children. Initially inspired by her older sister, who practices archery, Anjali later set her sights on swimming. Although she struggled with self-confidence at first, she won a silver medal in a local competition a year later. This achievement boosted her morale, prompting her to work hard and never look back.
At the Khelo India Tribal Games 2026, Anjali clinched the gold medal in the 200-meter freestyle with a time of 2:39:02. Had she not won, all gold medals on the first day would have gone to players from Karnataka. The 15-year-old expressed, “The silver medal was my first ever, and it holds a special place in my heart. It gave me the confidence that I could excel in this sport. I must thank my coach for believing in me and for the hard work during my training sessions.”
Anjali also credits her success to the ASMITA League (Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women Through Action). By participating in this league in 2024, she won two silver medals, which further boosted her confidence. She also performed well in a swimming event held in Guwahati.
Despite her gold medal win, Anjali remains focused on improvement. She aims to surpass her personal best time of 2:25. Her upcoming goals include excelling in the 50-meter backstroke, 100-meter backstroke, and 200-meter individual medley competitions.
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Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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