Odisha bagged three bronze medals in the Junior & Senior Artistic Gymnastics National Championships, which is being held at Shiv Chatrapati Sports Complex in Pune from 25 April to 3 May 2025. All three medals were secured in junior mens individual apparatus events.

Azad Laskar won one bronze medal each in still rings and horizontal bar with scores of 10.567 and 10.733 respectively. The other bronze medal was claimed by Biru Chandra Rao in vaulting table with a score of 12.600.

Both Laskar and Rao are trainees of Bhubaneswar-based Odisha AM/NS India Gymnastics High Performance Centre. Rao belongs to Puri and started his career at Sports Hostel, Puri. But Laskar is not a native of Odisha.

Odisha failed to win any medal in senior mens category of the ongoing National championships. However, Odisha gymnast Tapan Mohanty, who represented Services Sports Control Board, made his home state proud, capturing one gold and two silver medals.

Also a native of Puri, Mohanty won the gold medal in senior mens floor exercise with a score of 12.567. He secured one silver medal each in senior mens team championship and individual still rings (12.133).

The National championship is being organized by Maharashtra Amateur Gymnastics Association, under the aegis of Gymnastics Federation of India. Competitions for junior and senior women will take place from April 29 to May 3.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOTO: Odisha gymnasts (L-R) Biru Chandra Rao, Tapan Mohanty and Azad Laskar pose with their medals at the Junior & Senior Artistic Gymnastics National Championships 2025-26 in Pune.