Shillong, Apr 3: With 2 gold and 7 bronze, Meghalaya finished in 13th place out of the 30-plus states and territories that took part in the 1st Khelo India Tribal Games 2026, which concluded in Chhattisgarh today.
Meghalaya won two gold medals in compound archery yesterday thanks to Kate Diamond Lyngdoh, Nakibansharai Khonghat and Stracy M Sangma (women) and Phrangkupar Kharjahrin, Banwanbor Marwein and Donkupar L Shadap (men). Today the archery team added a bronze when the recurve men’s team of Hypormi Wanniang, Amebalaker Wanniang and Manchiefford Wanniang beat Telangana 6-2 in the bronze medal match in Raipur.
The state had also bagged another six bronze medals in different disciplines over the last few days. Three of these came in athletics – Balarisha Thyrniang in the women’s 10000m (ie 10km) race, Bethlyne G Makri in the women’s 10000m race walk and Melibad Kro in the women’s shot put.
Verem Gedaliah Nongsiej also earned a bronze in the women’s 50m freestyle swimming, Larityngkai Lawriniang in the women’s weightlifting 53kg category and Juh Pa U Juh Nongtdu in the men’s 60kg Greco-Roman wrestling.
Meghalaya were fifth among North East states, behind Arunachal Pradesh (6 gold, 1 silver, 4 bronze), Assam (5G, 14S, 12B), Mizoram (4G, 5S, 3B) and Nagaland (2G, 2S, 3B).
There were seven disciplines in all at the Games – archery, athletics, football, hockey, swimming, weightlifting and wrestling.
Meghalaya won at least one medal in each sport barring football and hockey; the state teams did not get through the regional rounds in the former and did not participate at all in the latter.
There were 72 Meghalaya athletes in all taking part in Chhattisgarh, with athletics (34) making up nearly half of the state contingent.
