Khelo India Winter Games 2025: Armyman Rajeshwar Singh claims two gold medals to grab limelight on Day 3

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The Indian Army continued its dominant display on the penultimate day of the Khelo India Winter Games 2025, securing four medals to maintain its lead in the standings in Gulmarg. Rifleman Rajeshwar Singh emerged as the star of the day, clinching his second gold medal in ski mountaineering on March 11, 2025.

The Army quartet of Narsingh Thapa, Rajeshwar Singh, Sunil Rai, and Vishal Chandal topped the ski mountaineering men's relay, clocking 49:58.1. Uttarakhand followed in second place, while Himachal Pradesh claimed bronze.

A day earlier, Rajeshwar Singh had also triumphed in the ski mountaineering sprint event, further solidifying his stature in the sport. Expressing his elation, Rajeshwar credited the Army for its unwavering support.

"My seniors have always motivated me to perform at my best. Being stationed in Gulmarg gives me an advantage in adapting to extreme weather conditions. Khelo India has been a great platform for athletes like me to showcase our potential. With the government's growing support for winter sports, I hope to represent India on the international stage soon," he said.

The Indian Army also dominated the Nordic skiing men's 15km event, sweeping the podium. Sunny Singh clinched gold with a time of 41:04.54, followed by Stanzin (41:20.70) and Thupstan (41:51.38).

Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh delivered its best performance of the tournament, claiming a clean sweep in the alpine skiing women's slalom. Anchal Thakur secured gold, with Tanuja Thakur and Promila Thakur taking silver and bronze, respectively. The state also excelled in snowboarding, with Priti Thakur and Prakriti Thakur finishing first and second in the women's slalom event.

Priti emphasized the importance of such competitions in improving skills. "The tougher the competition, the better we get. I started snowboarding at 20 and have been training under Raja Khan for the past three years. My dream is to compete internationally, and with the right exposure and equipment, I believe I can qualify for the Winter Olympics," she stated.

Women skiers from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) continued their dominance in Nordic skiing, sweeping all three medals in the women's sprint event. Kusum Rana claimed her second gold, finishing in 06:40.59, followed by Karnataka's Bhavani Thekkada and ITBP's Selma Soreng.

With seven gold, five silver, and six bronze medals, the Indian Army remains atop the medal tally, narrowly ahead of Himachal Pradesh, which climbed to second place with its strong showing on Day 3.

The final day of the Khelo India Winter Games 2025 will feature the women's ski mountaineering relay event.