Kohima, January 20: Manipur's sporting supremacy in the region continues unchallenged as State athletes retained the overall championship crown with an outstanding performance in the 20th edition of North East Sports Festival which concluded in the Nagaland capital this evening.

During the four day sports extravaganza of the region Manipur collected a total of 40 gold, 26 silver and 24 bronze medals with the hosts awarded the runners-up position despite inferior medal count against Assam.

Nagaland finished the competition at 13 gold, 10 silver and 26 bronze medals against Assam's collection of 26-28-19.Manipur has so far wrested the overall championship titles 17 times including two joint winners while in the 1999 Guwahati meet the State had not participated due to preparations for the National Games held at Imphal.

On the last day of the meet today Manipur quartet secured silver medal in the 4x100 metre relay race.

Out of the total medal haul, State athletes garnered 11 gold, six silver and 10 bronze with badminton team winning two each of the yellow metal, silver and bronze while archers fetched five gold, seven silver and six bronze.

Comprehensively outclassing their respective rivals, State women wrestlers made a clean sweep of the seven gold medals on offer as the men added three gold to the tally of 13 medals of different colours.

The taekwondo team bagged six gold, one silver and four bronze while handball players contributed two of the top titles as football and hockey squads chipped in with one gold and a silver each.

Nagaland Governor Shyamal Dutta formally declared culmination of the sports meet as chief guest of the closing programme which was also attended by Ministers, MLAs and top officials of the host State.

Appreciating keen interest and spirited display of the region's sportspersons Shyamal Dutta made special mention of performances from Manipur players.

Expressing that Nagaland archers had been able to steadily improve their sharpness the chief guest nevertheless stressed on need to develop requisite infrastructures to excel competitively.

He also released a souvenir in connection with the sports festival which was participated by over 1500 athletes from eight States including Sikkim.

International archer Chekrovulou Swuru of Nagaland, who took the oath on behalf of the participants during the opening ceremony also de-hoisted the sports festival flag marking end of the meet.

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