Surat, Feb 13 (IANS): Surat's Muskan Gupta and Twisha Kakadia have secured gold medals at the 38th National Games, currently underway in Uttarakhand.

Muskan Gupta clinched the gold in cycling, marking a significant milestone in her athletic journey.

Her ascent began with a gold medal at the 11th Khel Mahakumbh, and she has since been a beneficiary of the Sports Authority of Gujarat's Center of Excellence programme.

Reflecting on her achievement, Muskan expressed gratitude to her coaches and the state government, noting that the advanced training she received was instrumental in her success.

Twisha Kakadia continued her impressive streak in taekwondo by securing her second consecutive gold medal at the National Games.

A dedicated athlete, Twisha has been training under the Center of Excellence programme for the past eight years and has consistently excelled at the Khel Mahakumbh, winning gold for six consecutive years. She also represented India at the World Taekwondo Championship in Azerbaijan, further showcasing her prowess on the international stage.

The state government's initiatives, such as the Khel Mahakumbh and the Center of Excellence programme, have been pivotal in nurturing athletic talent, providing athletes like Muskan and Twisha with the resources and training necessary to excel at national and international levels. The Gujarat government has announced that both athletes will be honoured with the Khel Pratibha Puraskar, recognizing their outstanding contributions to sports and their role in elevating Gujarat's stature in national sports.

The 38th National Games of India, held from January 28 to February 14, 2025, in Uttarakhand, showcased the nation's athletic prowess across 35 sports disciplines.

The event spanned multiple cities, including Dehradun, Haridwar, Shivpuri, New Tehri, Nainital, Haldwani, and Rudrapur, with the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Dehradun serving as the main venue.

Over 10,000 athletes from 37 teams participated, competing in events such as swimming, athletics, archery, badminton, boxing, cycling, fencing, gymnastics, judo, kho-kho, lawn tennis, mallakhamb, modern pentathlon, netball, shooting, squash, table tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, weightlifting, wrestling, wushu, and yoga asana.

The official mascot, "Mauli," a Himalayan monal, and the torch named "Tejaswini" was unveiled in December 2024, symbolising the spirit and cultural heritage of Uttarakhand.