8th Thang-Ta FederationManipur retain champions title with record 120 medals

By Our Sports Reporter
IMPHAL, Jun 15 : Manipur team of Huyen Langlon Thang-Ta Association, Manipur were crowned team champions yet again at the 8th Thang-Ta Federation Cup held at Swami Vivekandanda Sardha Satabarshiki Bhawan, Dharmanagar, North Tripura under the aegis of Thang-Ta Federation of India since June 13.
The State team which claimed team title  in the previous edition with 79 gold, 22 silver and 1 bronze medals showed an improved side this year to claim 90 gold, 17 silver and 13 bronze medals to amass 527 points to ensure top place finish. Hosts, All Tripura Thang-Ta Association finished first team runners up with a total of 51 medals (9 gold, 20 silver and 22 bronze medals : 149 pts) while All Assam Thang-Ta Association secured the 2nd runners up title (team) with a total of 37 medals including 5 gold, 25 silver and 7 bronze medals making it 114 points.
Manipur's M Tulajit Khuman (Jr) was named best fighter for boys (-56 kg) and Muskan (Sub-Jr: -37 kg) was adjudged best girl fighter at the mega Thang-Ta event which saw participation of 249 male and 133 female Athletes from 20 State Thang-Ta associations across India.
Last Day Events
Manipur men's team proved why they are the best in the Phunaba Ama events by securing 9 gold and 1 silver medals in 10 events of varying weight categories.
Telheiba Asem bagged the gold medal for Manipur in the men's -46 kg Phunaba Ama event beating Mizoram's Chayan Malakar in the final while S Lohit Singh defeated W Malemkhomba of Assam to claim the -50 kg title.
L Bikram of Manipur went down to N Bishorjit of Nagaland to settle for the silver medal in the -54 kg event.
Other athletes who bagged gold medal for Manipur in the men's Phunaba Ama events are Naoba Meisnam (-58 kg); S Sailesh Singh (-62 kg); N Maigei Mangang (-66 kg); L Somojit (-70 kg); Anand Ningthoujam (-75 kg); A Lucky Singh (-80 kg) and Kheljit Saikhom (+80 kg).
Manipur's H Sadananda Singh (-46 kg), Kh Netrajit (-59 kg); K Lemba (-54 kg), H Nganthoiba (-58 kg), P Babi (-62 kg), N Bidyananda (-66 kg), Tondonba Wahengbam (-70 kg) and M Handsome (-80 kg) also won gold medals in the Phunaba Anishuba events today while Y Khagemba (-75 kg) and N Ishorchandra (+80 kg) respectively finished with a silver and a bronze medal.
State women settled with 3 gold and 1 silver in 6 weight categories of Phunaba ama event as K Anjana (-44 kg), K Anupama (-60 kg) and M Ranjita Chanu (-72 kg) showed their mettle and 2 gold and 2 bronze medals in 5 Phunaba Anishuba events. Sh Sanatombi Devi (-44 kg) and Ng Lakshmi (-56 kg) bagged the gold medals in the Phunaba Anishuba events.
The sub-junior boys and girls teams of Manipur also claimed 11 medals in the Thanglon and Khonglon Khutlon events including 6 gold 4 silver and 1 bronze. Sub-junior boys and girls also managed 6 gold 5 silver and 3 bronze medals in the Thang-Haiba events.