The 57th Men’s and Women’s State Championship and Selection Test Kho-Kho Competition was held at Velapur Malshiras, Solapur with the approval of Maharashtra Kho-Kho Association and Solapur Amachyur Kho Kho Association. In this competition, Pune bagged double crown after twenty five years. Earlier in the year 1995-96, Pune had won the double crown in the 34th Men’s and Women’s State Selection Test Kho-Kho competition held at Kulgaon, Thane.
Pne Women’s team
Priyanka Ingle bagged the Rani Ahilya award for the best all-rounder of the tournament while Pratik Waikar bagged the Raje Sambhaji award in the men’s category. Third place in the women’s group was won by Osmanabad and Sangli in the men’s group.
Pune Men’s team
In the women’s final, Pune did not have to make much effort to beat the defending champions, Thane 13-12 with 3.40 minutes keeping spare. Pune’s Priyanka Ingle (2:00, 1:40 min defense and 5 wickets), Pune had taken a 9-5 lead at the interval due to the brilliant performance of Deepali Rathod (2:10, 1:00 min defense and 2 wickets) and Shweta Wagh (1:50, 1:50 min defense) played a vital role in winning the match. From Thane Reshma Rathod (1:50 min defense and 4 wickets), Mruinal Kamble (4 wickets) and Kavita Ghanekar (2:20 min defense) failed to score & tried their best to support their team. Pune’s Coach Jagdish Nanijakar expressed happiness and contentment after the victory.
In the men’s final, Pune beat defending champions Mumbai Suburbs 17-16 by one point. Pune’s Milind Karpe (1:00 min defense and 5 wickets), Prateek Waikar (1:40 min defense and 3 wickets) and Sagar Lengre (1:40 min defense and 1 wicket) were instrumental in the team’s victory. Mumbai suburbs’s Akshay Bhangare (1:10, 1:00 min defense and 5 wickets), Aniket Pote (1:30, 1:00 min defense and 2 wickets), Rishikesh Murchawde (1:30, 1:10 min) played well but their fight were insufficient.
Best Player:
Men: All-rounder and Raje Sambhaji Award: Pratik Waikar (Pune) Defender: Rishikesh Murchawade (Mumbai Suburbs), Attacker: Milind Karpe (Pune).
Women: All-rounder and Rani Ahilya Award: Priyanka Ingle (Pune), Defender: Shweta Wagh (Pune), Attacker: Reshma Rathod (Thane).