Jammu, November 29: J&K’s star athlete Shivani Charak clinched a Gold medal in Lead climbing in the Women’s category at the 28th North Zone Sport Climbing Championship, which commenced today at the Indian Mountaineering Foundation, New Delhi. This victory marks a significant achievement for the Union Territory in the ongoing championship.
In a closely fought competition, Shivani faced off against Ritika Rawat of Delhi, another international climber. Both competitors scaled the same height, pushing the contest to be decided by the time taken to reach the summit. Shivani emerged victorious, clocking an impressive 3.08 minutes, edging out Ritika, who finished in 3.38 minutes.
The championship also saw promising performances from J&K climbers Siraj ud Din and Rudra Rajput, who advanced to the final round in Lead climbing in the Sub-Junior Boys category. Meanwhile, competitions in the Men’s Bouldering category were underway, with Arun Deep Singh of J&K positioned as a strong medal contender. Lead climbing events in other categories were also progressing at the time of the last report, fueling high expectations for J&K’s contingent.
The J&K team, full of enthusiasm and determination, was flagged off from Jammu on November 27 after a rigorous screening process conducted by officials from the J&K Sports Council, led by Divisional Sports Officer (Jammu), Baljinder Pal Singh.
The championship continues to showcase the grit and talent of sport climbers from across the region, with the J&K team expected to deliver commendable performances in the days ahead.