Khelo India Youth Games: Suhani Kumar Opens Medal Account For Bihar; Rajasthan’s Harshita Jakhar Claims Double

Rajasthan's Harshita Jakhar delivered a golden double on the opening day the cycling competition in the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Bihar being held at the Yamuna Velodrome in the Indira Gandhi Indoor Complex here on Tuesday. The 18-year-old clinched the yellow metals with dominating performances in the 500m Time Trial and 7.5km Scratch Race.

Harshita, who won four medals at the 2025 Junior Track Asian Cycling Championships and earned herself a place in the Target Asian Games Group, stormed to victory in the 500m Time Trial, clocking an impressive 38.631 seconds, edging Maharashtra's Akanksha Mhatre (38.742) and Tamil Nadu's S Thabitha (39.454).

Earlier in the day, the 18-year-old bagged her first gold in the 7.5km Scratch Race, holding off challenge from Bihar's Suhani Kumari with a time of 11:50.973. Suhani secured silver in 11:51.558, while Mhatre took bronze in 11:51.649. "I'm happy to have won the gold medals along with my cousin Aditya Jakhar," Harshita said after the medal ceremony.

Host Bihar opened its account through Suhani Kumari's silver in the girls' 7.5km Scratch Race and a second silver in the Team Sprint. She was the key to ensuring that Bihar found a place in the Team Sprint final The team consisted Amrita Kumari, Shalini Kumari and Suhani.

"Having won two medals for team Bihar in the first day is a matter of pride for me personally. I'm happy to be the first to open our account. May our victory inspire all back home. We trained well and the competitors at the Khelo India Youth Games are so good. It's a new experience competing with them," said Suhani, 17.

The results:

Boys

Time Trial (1000m):

1. Aditya Jakhar (Rajasthan) 1.06.675 seconds

2. Sahib Pratap Singh Sarkaria (Rajasthan) 1.08.644

3. G Sai Charan Yadav (Telangana) 1.09.056.

Scratch race (10km):

1. Siddhesh Sarjerao Ghorphade (Maharashtra) 13.26.584

2. Mahaveer Saran (Rajasthan) 13.26.601

3. Thounaojam Gyananta Singh (Manipur) 13.27.933.

Team Sprint (3 laps):

Final: Jharkhand (Arjun Kumar, Nikhil Lohra, Bikash Oraon) 48.868 beat Manipur (Konthoujam Lanchenba Singh, Thounanojam Gyananta Singh, Huidrom Suraj Singh) 50.156; Bronze medal: Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Michael, Ronie Mylsap, Chamberline) 50.471 beat Rajasthan (Dinesh Gat, Aditya Jakhar, Omparkash Gat) 50.648.

Girls

Time Trial (500m):

1. Harshitha Jakhar (Rajasthan) 38.631

2. Akanksha Mhatre (Maharashtra) 38.742

3. S Thabitha (Tamil Nadu) 39.454

Scratch race (7.5km):

1. Harshita Jakhar (Rajasthan) 11.50.973

2. Suhani Kumari (Bihar) 11.51.558

3. Akanksha Mhetre (Maharashtra) 11.51.649

Team Sprint (3 laps): Final: Jharkhand (Sabina Kumari, Sanju Kumari, Sindhu Lata Hembrom) 56.283 beat Bihar (Amrita Kumari, Shalini Kumari, Suhani Kumari) 57.606; Bronze medal: Tamil Nadu (Jaijyotshna, J Niralmathi, S Thabitha) 57.614 beat Maharashtra (Akanksha Mhetre, Shravani Kasar, Asavari Anil Rajmane) 58.069.

For More on Khelo India Youth Games, click: https://youth.kheloindia.gov.in/
For Medal Tally of KIYG 2025, click: https://youth.kheloindia.gov.in/medal-tally

ABOUT KHELO INDIA YOUTH GAMES

Khelo India Youth Games are part of the Khelo India program that was launched on October 14, 2017. Khelo India aims to achieve the twin objective of mass participation and promotion of excellence in sports. The program has contributed immensely to India's sporting success with several Khelo India athletes representing the nation at global events, including the Olympics and the Asian Games. Bihar is hosting the seventh edition of the Khelo India Youth Games from May 4-15 in five different cities of the state and Delhi. KIYG 2025 will feature 27 sports and for the first time, esports has been included as a demonstration sport.