India capped off its campaign at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games in Duisburg, Germany, with a commendable total of 12 medals—2 gold, 5 silver, and 5 bronze—demonstrating growing strength across athletics, archery, badminton, and tennis at the university level.
Strong Finish on Closing Day
The final day of competition saw Indian athletes secure three medals, including a silver in women’s 3,000m steeplechase and two bronzes in the women’s 20 km race walk team event and the men’s 4x100m relay.
Olympian Ankita Dhyani won silver in the steeplechase, finishing behind Finland’s Ilona Mononen (9:31.86). Germany’s Adia Budde took bronze with a time of 9:33.34. Ankita transitioned to the steeplechase in late 2024, after representing India in the 5,000m event at the Paris Olympics.
Race Walk and Relay Teams Add to Tally
India’s women’s team of Sejal Singh, Munita Prajapati, and Mansi Negi earned a bronze in the 20 km race walk with a combined time of 4:56:06. While Sejal placed 15th individually, the collective effort secured a podium finish for the team.
In track events, the men’s 4x100m relay team—comprising Lalu Prasad Bhoi, Animesh Kujur, Manikanta Hoblidhar, and Dondapati Mrutyum Jayaram—clocked 38.89 seconds to win bronze, finishing behind South Korea and South Africa.
Archery Leads with Five Medals
India’s standout performance came in compound archery, where the contingent clinched five medals. This included gold in the mixed team event and individual podium finishes by Sahil Rajesh Jadhav (gold) and Parneet Kaur (silver). The team events added another silver and bronze to the tally.
Historic Moments in Badminton and Tennis
India recorded its second-ever badminton medal at the World University Games with a bronze in the mixed team event, marking a return to the podium after several editions. In tennis, Vaishnavi Adkar secured India’s first-ever medal in women’s singles, earning bronze. This also marked the nation’s first tennis medal at the Games since Nandan Bal’s silver in 1979.
About the Games
The FISU World University Games, organised by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), is a prestigious international multi-sport event held every two years for university athletes. The 2025 edition took place in Germany’s Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region, with Duisburg serving as the central host city. Drawing student-athletes from across the globe, the Games provide a platform for emerging talent to compete at a high level and gain international experience across a wide array of disciplines.
