LUCKNOW, April 10 -- As expected, spirited Meerut won the overall championship with four gold, three silver and two bronzes in the 24th Uttar Pradesh State Junior Under-20 Federation Athletics Championship 2026 in Prayagraj on Wednesday. Hapour with four gold finished runners-up, whereas Varanasi with three gold, five silvers and four bronzes stood third. On the final day of the two-day championship, gold medal winners included Anshu Rajak, Anshul Kumar, Amit Kumar, Akash, Amir Khan, Akhand Pratap Singh, Vishnu, Soni Kumari, Vanshika Vanshika, Khushi Patel, Deepu Kashyap, Gunjan Yadav, Khushi, Divya Chaudhary, Ramanand Singh, Vansh Kumar Sharawat, Akash, Saurabh Yadav, Sandeep Kumar, and Jyoti Rajput. Spirited Kashi Kings got off to a spectacular start, securing a thrilling 19-17 victory against the Gorakhpur Rowdies following a hard-fought battle in the opening encounter of the UP Pro Handball League, at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Indoor Hall at the KD Singh 'Babu' Stadium here on Wednesday. In this neck-and-neck contest, both teams unleashed a barrage of attacks in an effort to breach each other's impenetrable defenses. At halftime, the Kashi Kings held a 11-8 lead. Contributing significantly to the team's victory, national player Avinash scored nine magnificent goals and was named the Most Valuable Player. Meanwhile, Icon Players Anish Yadav and Mohit Ghanghas played pivotal roles in the win, scoring three goals each. For the Gorakhpur Rowdies, Sunil scored five goals, while Pawan and Mohammad Shuja netted four goals apiece. In the second match, Mathura Brajstars registered a commanding 34-29 victory over the Barbarik Warriors. For Mathura, Icon Player Nihal Jaiswal and international player Ravi displayed magnificent teamwork, tearing apart the opposing defense by scoring 10 goals each. Additionally, Shiva, who demonstrated excellent coordination, scored eight goals and was named the Most Valuable Player. In the third match of the day, Ghaziabad Panthers defeated Noida Blasters 27-21. For the Ghaziabad Panthers, Mohit emerged as the top scorer with eight goals and was named the Most Valuable Player. Aman and Vivek contributed five goals each. The team maintained constant pressure throughout the match, driven by their aggressive play....