Odisha’s young archers delivered an outstanding performance at the 69th National School Games Under-17 Archery Championship held at Ranchi, Jharkhand, from January 6 to January 10, 2026.
The state won a total of 10 medals, 4 gold, 5 silver and 1 bronze and emerged as the overall runners-up at the national-level competition. In the overall standings, Maharashtra secured first place, while Odisha finished second and Jharkhand claimed third position.
The Odisha team was fielded by the Odisha State School Sports Association under the School and Mass Education Department. A total of 18 players, including 11 girls and 7 boys, represented the state in the championship. Odisha’s impressive performance is expected to inspire young sporting talent across the state and encourage aspiring athletes to achieve greater success at national and international levels.
Rohit Kumar Marandi, a Class X student of UGP Government High School, Baripada in Mayurbhanj district, emerged as the top performer. He won three gold medals in the 30-metre Indian Round, 30-metre Olympic Round and Mixed Team event, along with one silver medal in the overall 30m and 20m category. Reshma Mallick of KISS School, Bhubaneswar, partnered with Rohit to secure the gold medal in the 30-metre Mixed Team event.
Similarly, Sunita Naik from Keonjhar district won a silver medal in the 60-metre Recurve Round and a bronze medal in the 60-metre Individual event. In the 60-metre Recurve Round, Sabitri Patro (Keonjhar), Tenish Meher (Sundargarh) and Pankhi Bhatra (Bhubaneswar) also clinched silver medals, contributing significantly to Odisha’s medal tally.
