Over 600 gymnasts set for nationals as Nayak eyes comeback

Bhubaneswar is set to host the Junior & Senior Artistic Gymnastics National Championships at Kalinga Stadium from Apr 25 to May 3.

The tournament will feature over 600 gymnasts from across the country competing in Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG) and Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) events, including team championships, individual all-around, and apparatus finals across junior and senior categories.

Prominent Indian gymnasts such as Tapan Mohanty, Yogeshwar Singh, Asish Kumar, Protishta Samanta and Tapeswaranath Das will compete alongside emerging talents. However, all eyes will be on Pranati Nayak, who will be keen to deliver a strong performance and stake her claim for selection to major international events later this year.

After finishing on the podium at FIG World Cup in Antalya, Turkey, and the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships early last year, Nayak suffered a left ankle sprain during the vault qualification at World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta, which sidelined her for several months.

Speaking ahead of the event, Kallol Mukherjee, chief operating officer of Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI), emphasised the championship’s importance in the national and international pathway.

“The national championships remain a critical benchmark in India’s gymnastics calendar. Performances here will directly influence selections for major upcoming international competitions, including the Asian Championships, Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games,” said Mukherjee.

“The depth of talent we are witnessing today reflects the steady progress of gymnastics in India, and platforms like these nationals are essential to building that competitive edge,” he added.

Meanwhile, the championships are being organized by Odisha Gymnastics Association in collaboration with GFI and with the support of Sports and Youth Services Department, Govt of Odisha. The opening ceremony is scheduled for Apr 25, after which competitions will be conducted in multiple sessions, culminating in the finals and closing ceremonies on Apr 28 (men’s) and May 3 (women’s).

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