Mysore/Mysuru: At the valedictory function of the State-Level Dasara CM Cup Sports Meet, held at the Chamundi Vihar Stadium in Mysuru yesterday, Karnataka, Minister of Sports and Youth Empowerment, B. Nagendra, presented the Best Athletes Cup to Kapil Anand of Bengaluru and S.S. Sneha of Mangaluru, who were named the Best Athletes of the Meet in the Men and Women categories, respectively. Kapil Anand accumulated 1,007 points, while S.S. Sneha secured 1,108 points.

During the event, sportsmen from Karnataka who won medals for the country in the Asian Games, along with their coaches, were felicitated. Notable achievers included Nihal Joel, who secured a Gold Medal in the 4×400 relay event, Kabbadi Coach Tejaswini Bai, Boxing Trainer Kuttappa, and Badminton Silver Medal winner K. Sai Pratheek (accepted on his behalf by his father, Krishnaprasad). Furthermore, members of the Indian Women’s Blind Cricket Team from Karnataka, including Varsha Umapathy, N.H. Ganagtva, and T.C. Deepika, were also honoured.

In the team events of the State Level Dasara CM Cup, Hassan and Mysuru teams were declared winners in Men’s and Women’s Hockey, respectively. Dharwad and Dakshina Kannada teams secured the runner-up positions.

In basketball, the Young Orions from Bengaluru emerged as winners, with the Bank of Baroda as the first runner-up in the men’s section. In the women’s category, Mounts Bengaluru claimed the top spot, with DYES Mysuru as the runner-up.

Other results include Mysuru emerging as the winners in men’s football and Hassan were runner up, Bengaluru Rural topping the men’s handball category and Mysuru team runner up, Davangere and Belagavi clinching the winners and runner-up positions in the women’s handball category, Dakshina Kannada securing the top spot in men’s kabaddi, and Bagalkot emerging as winners in men’s kho-kho, with Belagavi as the runner-up. In the women’s kho-kho category, Yadagiri was the winner, and Belagavi was the runner-up.

Dakshina Kannada emerged victorious in the men’s netball event, with Mysuru as the runner-up. In the women’s category, Bengaluru Rural secured the top position, with Dakshina Kannada as the runner-up. In men’s volleyball, Ramanagar was declared the winner and Bengaluru Postal was the runner-up. In women’s volleyball, Mysuru took the winner’s title, while Dakshina Kannada was the runner-up.

The District In-Charge Minister, Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, expressed his appreciation for all the participants of Dasara Sports, highlighting its importance as one of the main events in Mysuru’s Dasara festivities.

Minister B. Nagendra announced cash prizes of Rs. 25 lakh for Gold Medal winners and Rs. 15 lakh for Silver Medal winners in the Asian Games, a token of encouragement to the state’s sportsmen.

Karnataka Olympic Association (KOA) Chairman K. Govindaraju said that the State Government is supporting sportspersons through the Amrita Kreeda Datthu Yojana, which will continue until the next Olympics. This year, Rs. 10 lakh will be distributed among 75 sportspersons as part of the programme.