Tulika Maan and Linthoi Chanambam in Khelo India Women’s Judo League

The Indira Gandhi Stadium in the national capital will host the first Khelo India Women’s Judo National League from October 20 to 23. 

The league, which is a National Ranking tournament for women Judokas of 4 Zones, is being organized by the Judo Federation of India and the Department of Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The tournament is backed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and it has sanctioned an amount of Rs 1.74 Crore for the organization of the same and to encourage the development of Judo at the grassroots level. The tournament’s total prize money across 31 weight categories is Rs 24.43 Lakh.

The tournament is being organized across four age groups – Sub Junior (12-15 years), Cadet (15-17 years), Junior (15-20 years) and Senior (15 years and above). The cash prize will be awarded to the top 7 judokas across the 31 weight categories.

Commonwealth Games 2022 silver medalist Tulika Maan and World Cadet Judo Championship gold medalist and history-maker Linthoi Chanambam will feature in the tournament. A total of 496 Judokas are set for competition. The competitors for the national league are selected based on their ranking and performance from their respective zones, i.e., North, South, East, and West.

Also, the top-ranked 7 Judokas selected from national selection trials and national judo tournaments will compete in the national league.

Indian Judoka Tulika Maan had earlier claimed the silver medal in the final of the women’s +78 kg category after suffering a defeat against Scotland’s Sarah Adlington at the Commonwealth Games 2022.

Indian judoka Linthoi Chanambam had made history by clinching the country’s first-ever gold across any age group in the Cadet World Championships held in Sarajevo by defeating Brazil’s Bianca Reis in the women’s 57 kg category.

She defeated her Brazilian opponent 1-0 in the gold medal match. Linthoi is also the reigning Asian Champion in her sport. 

Credits: ANI