The first day of the North East Games 2024, held in Nagaland, witnessed a spectacular performance by the sportspersons of Assam, who bagged as many as 19 medals, including four gold, 10 silver, and five bronze, on Tuesday (March 19).

The athletics events saw the Assam athletes shine bright, securing a total of seven medals, with four of them being gold. Pahi Keot kicked off Assam’s golden run by winning the 1,500-metre race, with a time of 4 minutes 52 seconds. Rimpi Buragohain followed suit, striking gold in the 100-metre sprint with a time of 12.11 seconds. The relay team’s victory in the 4×400 metres, with a timing of 4 minutes 5.57 seconds, added to the tally. Mamta Doley’s gold in the discus throw, with a throw of 30.78 metres, and Madhurjya Arandhara’s silver in the men’s discus throw, with a throw of 41.40 metres, as per a press release.

Assam’s Archers Leave A Mark On Opening Day Of North East Games 2024

In archery, Assam’s archers also made their mark. Mukesh Boro won a bronze medal in recurve men 70 metres, while Sonali Basumatary secured silver in recurve women 70 metres. Arnab Jyoti Deka won a silver medal in compound men 50 metres. The Assam Pencak Silat (an Indonesian martial arts form) team demonstrated their skills, winning seven silver medals and two bronze medals. On the tennis courts, Assam’s men’s and women’s teams won their matches against Nagaland, both by a score of 3-0, it said.

In table tennis, the Assam women’s team started their campaign on a high note, defeating Sikkim 3-0 in their first league match. The men’s team, meanwhile, showcased resilience by overcoming last year’s champions Mizoram, with a score of 3-2. The Assam badminton men’s team displayed dominance by defeating Meghalaya 3-0 thus securing a spot in the semifinals. The volleyball team also began their campaign with a resounding victory, defeating Sikkim 3-0, it added.

The third edition of the North East Games that commenced on Monday will come to an end on Saturday. The games feature a diverse array of 15 sporting disciplines. All the eight participating states- Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Sikkim, are vying for top honours in the mega event of the northeastern region. The North East Games, one of the biggest sporting events to be hosted by Nagaland, stands as a remarkable platform in promoting and celebrating the rich sporting culture of the northeastern region. The event is also poised as an endeavour to foster unity and solidarity among all the eight northeastern states.