Seventeen-year-old Gauri Rai of Haryana delivered a standout performance at the first leg of the 2026 Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG), clinching the gold medal in the advanced figure skating category at the Nawang Dorjan Stobdan (NDS) Stadium here. Her victory was historic, marking the first-ever inclusion of figure skating in the Khelo India Winter Games.
A resident of Gurugram, Gauri impressed the judges with a composed and graceful routine, overcoming the challenges posed by Leh’s high-altitude conditions. Originally a roller skater, her transition to figure skating began in 2017 after witnessing a demonstration event at Ambience Mall in Gurugram—an experience that proved to be a turning point in her sporting journey.
“Roller skating was something I had done for a long time, but I wanted a sport that combined speed and grace. When I saw figure skating for the first time, I knew that was my calling,” said Gauri, who has represented India at international competitions, including the UAE Figure Skating Championship in Dubai in 2022, where she won a silver medal.
Reflecting on her performance in Leh, Gauri admitted the conditions were demanding. “I was out of breath and not used to these conditions. But my mother always believed I would win. After the results, we had a family video call and everyone was celebrating,” she said.
Currently a student of Manav Rachna International School, Gurugram, Gauri praised the Khelo India initiative and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) for organising what she described as a world-class event. She commended the quality of ice at the NDS Stadium and the overall arrangements, including accommodation, food, transport and media coverage.
At the same time, Gauri highlighted the urgent need for better infrastructure for the sport in India. “At present, India has only two Olympic-size artificial ice rinks. International skaters train up to 16 hours a day. More facilities are crucial if we want to produce top-quality skaters,” she said. She is now preparing for an International Skating Union seminar scheduled for March or April, which will assess athletes’ readiness for international competitions.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu’s Avikshit Vijay Viswanat and Madhya Pradesh’s Udreka Singh won gold medals in the men’s and women’s 500m long track speed skating events, respectively, on the third day of the Games. Avikshit successfully defended his KIWG title with a timing of 43.48 seconds, while 15-year-old Udreka impressed in her third appearance at the Games, clocking 53.94 seconds.
Haryana continued to top the medal tally, bolstered by a pair of figure skating gold medals won on Wednesday. Uttarakhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh shared second place with one gold each, while hosts Ladakh stood sixth with two silver and two bronze medals.
