Bihar tops bottom up; Tripura, Puducherry also draw blank

Guwahati, Feb 18 (UNI) To the number of dubious distinctions Bihar has earned, add the blank the state team drew in the 33rd National Games.

India's second most populous state, which constantly finds itself at the lowest rungs on various development indices, brought up the rear at the Games as well with its contingent failing to win a single medal.

To give Bihar the company at the bottom of the basket were Tripura and tiny Puducherry.

As against Tripura and Puducherry, Bihar sent a strong contingent of 74. Nevertheless a podium finish remained elusive and the athletes from the state appeared more of a spectators than participants.

The failure seems even stark when comparision is drawn with the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

In fact the smallest contingent of the Games, Andaman&Nicobar with 19 athletes won 10 medals which included six Silver and four Bronze.

Altogether 33 teams took part in the Games and 27 got home with some or medals in the kitty.

Bihar seems to have bore the burnt of bifurcation for estramged Jharkhand's athletes bagged as many as 22 medals.

Another big state with strong tradition of sports, Rajasthan also fared badly. A large contingent of 107 athletes won just 14 medals with just one Gold.

In comparison Manipur's contingent was of 377 athletes and they took home 121 medals while Services had 296 and managed to take away 139 podium finishes.

UNI