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The 21st World Police and Fire Games 2025, which was held in Birmingham, USA from 27 June to 6 July 2025, proved to be a windfall for Odisha as four track & field athletes and four karatekas from the State bagged a total of 16 individual and three team medals for India. The 19 medals featured 13 gold, three silver and three bronze.
Team India finished third overall, securing a total of 588 medals, which featured 280 gold, 178 silver and 130 bronze. Host USA topped the overall medal tally with 1,354 medals (569 gold, 433 silver, 352 bronze), while Brazil finished second with 743 medals (266 gold, 246 silver, 231 bronze).
Ashok Dandasena was the most successful Odisha athlete, reaping a rich harvest of seven gold and one silver. This was career best achievement for Dandasena, who trains at Odisha Reliance Foundation Athletics HPC in Bhubaneswar. He, of course, is yet to win a medal at the Junior or Senior National Athletics Championship.
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Odisha women athletes Susmita Tigga captured two gold, two silver in individual events, while Sabita Toppo secured one gold and one bronze in individual events. Both Susmita and Sabita, who also train at the Odisha RF Athletics HPC, were members of the Indian womens team that claimed the bronze medal in 4x400m relay.
Among the four Odisha karate athletes, Suman Sekhar Das, D Bhagaban Reddy and Ritesh Ray won one gold medal each, while Abhishek Patnaik pocketed one bronze medal.
The World Police & Fire Games (WPFG) are an Olympic-style competition with thousands of athletes representing First Responders from different countries across the world.
The Games are held biennially & typically have 60+ sports in the Official Games program. The Games are governed by the California Police Athletic Federation (CPAF), the Host City, & the WPFG Board of Directors.
The first WPFG were held in 1985 in San Jose, California. The 23rd edition of the World Police & Fire Games will be hosted by India in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar & Ekta Nagar in 2029.
ODISHA MEDALLISTS:
Gold: Ashok Dandasena (Athletics), mens 800m run, 1 July 2025.
Gold: Ashok Dandasena (Athletics), mens 1500m run (4:13.23), 3 July 2025.
Gold: Ashok Dandasena (Athletics), mens 5000m run, 4 July 2025.
Gold: Ashok Dandasena (Athletics), mens 10000m run, 5 July 2025.
Gold: Ashok Dandasena (Athletics), mens 3000m steeplechase, 6 July 2025.
Gold: Ashok Dandasena (Athletics), mens individual half marathon, 7 July 2025.
Gold: Ashok Dandasena (Athletics), mens team half marathon, July 2025.
Gold: Susmita Tigga (Athletics), womens 1500m run (4:37.91), 3 July 2025.
Gold: Susmita Tigga (Athletics), womens 3000m steeplechase, 6 July 2025.
Gold: Sabita Toppo (Athletics), womens 100m hurdles (14.66s), 5 July 2025.
Gold: Suman Sekhar Das (Karate), male below 84kg, 3 July 2025.
Gold: D Bhagaban Reddy (Karate), male below 64kg category, 3 July 2025.
Gold: Ritesh Ray (Karate), male above 84kg kumite, 5 July 2025.
Silver: Susmita Tigga (Athletics), womens 800m run, 1 July 2025.
Silver: Susmita Tigga (Athletics), womens half marathon, 7 July 2025.
Silver: Ashok Dandasena (Athletics), mens 4x400m relay (3:41.04), July 2025.
Bronze: Abhishek Patnaik (Karate), male individual kata, 5 July 2025.
Bronze: Susmita Tigga and Sabita Toppo (Athletics), womens 4x400m relay (4:07.13), 6 July 2025.
Bronze: Sabita Toppo (Athletics), womens 400m hurdles, 5 July 2025.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PICS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOP: Odisha middle-distance runner Ashok Dandasena celebrates after winning the mens 800m gold medal at the World Police & Fire Games in Birmingham, USA on 1 July 2025.
RIGHT: Odisha athlete Susmita Tigga poses with her 800m silver medal at the World Police & Fire Games in Birmingham, USA on 1 July 2025.
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