Mysuru: Deia S. Urs, representing University of Mysore, who took part in the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) held at Jain Global Campus, Bengaluru, between Apr. 24 and May 3, has won Silver in the Women’s Individual Karate Kata category.

Top 8 karatekas at the All India Inter-University Games held at Kurukshethra University qualified directly for KIUG-2021.  They were divided into two pools of 4 athletes each.

Karatekas had to perform in their respective pools and the topper of the pool would directly qualify for the final bout. Points were awarded to the karatekas considering both technical and athletic performances.

In the first pool, Deia Urs secured 22.54 points as against Jadavpur University DebanjaliKarmakar’s 22.14, Saveetha Institute of Medical Sciences Abhinaya’s 21.66 and Gauhati University Chandini Jain’s 21.10, thus topping her pool and qualifying for the finals.

In the second pool, Lovely Profession University’s Mesom Singhi topped her group by securing 22.60 points as against University of Calicut P. Farshana’s 22.28, Anna University Priyanka Srinivasan’s 21.16 and Chandigarh University Simarpreet Kaur’s 18.28.

In the intense final bout, Deia Urs had to settle for Silver as Meson Singhi took the Gold with 24.22 points as against her opponent’s 23.82. Farshana and Priyanka shared the Bronze defeating their respective opponents in the reverse bout.

Deia Urs is the first girl from Karnataka to win medals at both All India Inter-University Karate Games and Khelo India University Games in the same academic year.

Under the able guidance of Dr. P. Krishnaiah, Director of Physical Education, University of Mysore, Athletic, Hockey, Volley Ball and Karate team was led by Contingent Manager Dr. H.S. Krishna Kumar, Women Support Staff Dr. Sandhyarani and Coach S. Jaswanth.

3rd Degree Black Belt Deia S. Urs is trained by her father B. S. Srinath Urs, certified national karate coach. Both practice under All India Shito Karate Do Union, South Indian Karate Federation and Akhila Karnataka Sports Karate Association President Shihan. C. S. Arun Machaiah.