Khelo India University Games draws to a close as host Jain University finishes on top

The Khelo India University Games (KIUG) 2021 drew to a close on Tuesday, May 3, with the men's and women's kabaddi finals after ten days of pulsating and intense action. Host Jain University emerged as the champions as that result was ensured a day in advance when Priya Mohan secured a 200m-400m double gold and two more golds followed in Karate as Syed Baba took the yellow medal in the 55kg category and another in the Men's Team Kumite.

Jain University ended the games with 20 gold medals, three more than Lovely Professional University, who came in second. LPU did, however, manage to win the most number of medals, with 51 in their kitty. Defending champions Panjab University managed to hold on to the third position with 15 gold, 9 silver and 24 bronze medals.

The games put on a real show for the spectators as 97 KIUG records were broken or equalled in this edition. This included two national records as well, with Siva Sridhar breaking the Men's 200m Individual Medley record in the pool and with MT Ann Mariya setting a new mark in the clean and jerk of the Women's Weightlifting +87kg category. 

Siva Sridhar was also the most successful athlete in the games, with seven golds and two silvers in the competition. His dominance was underlined by the fact that he managed to break the KIUG record in each of his gold medal-winning races. In the women's side, swimmer Shrungi Bandekar emerged as the most successful athlete, with four golds and one silver.