<p>In a bid to promote health and fitness, the directorate of sports and youth services of Maharashtra held a national-level athletic fitness championship virtually amid the COVID-19 pandemic, an official said on Friday.</p>.<p>The online national-level championship named "eNERGIZE" was organised in September and the results were announced on October 5, the official said.</p>.<p>At least 2,500 athletes, aspiring athletes, children, general public across the country participated in the online event.</p>.<p>"The aim of the event was to promote health and fitness among the general population and help athletes, aspiring and young players to keep fit amid the COVID-19 situation," said Omprakash Bakoria, the commissioner of sports, Maharashtra.</p>.<p>Every participant had to complete three different fitness-related exercises for 10 minutes each and upload a video of the workout, following which fitness platform Xtraliving helped assess the participants, he said.</p>.<p>In first, second and third positions, both in male and female categories, have been awarded a prize money of Rs 75,000, Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively.</p>.<p>Shraddha Talekar, a 24-year-old gymnast from a village in Raigad district, who had represented India at gymnastics tournament in Croatia in 2019, won the first prize in the women's category.</p>.<p>Not only professional athletes, but even school children participated in the competition.</p>.<p>Four students, aged between 5 and 13 years, from Pune-based Sanskriti School also won the workout challenge and bagged certificates in three different age groups, it was stated. </p>
<p>In a bid to promote health and fitness, the directorate of sports and youth services of Maharashtra held a national-level athletic fitness championship virtually amid the COVID-19 pandemic, an official said on Friday.</p>.<p>The online national-level championship named "eNERGIZE" was organised in September and the results were announced on October 5, the official said.</p>.<p>At least 2,500 athletes, aspiring athletes, children, general public across the country participated in the online event.</p>.<p>"The aim of the event was to promote health and fitness among the general population and help athletes, aspiring and young players to keep fit amid the COVID-19 situation," said Omprakash Bakoria, the commissioner of sports, Maharashtra.</p>.<p>Every participant had to complete three different fitness-related exercises for 10 minutes each and upload a video of the workout, following which fitness platform Xtraliving helped assess the participants, he said.</p>.<p>In first, second and third positions, both in male and female categories, have been awarded a prize money of Rs 75,000, Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively.</p>.<p>Shraddha Talekar, a 24-year-old gymnast from a village in Raigad district, who had represented India at gymnastics tournament in Croatia in 2019, won the first prize in the women's category.</p>.<p>Not only professional athletes, but even school children participated in the competition.</p>.<p>Four students, aged between 5 and 13 years, from Pune-based Sanskriti School also won the workout challenge and bagged certificates in three different age groups, it was stated. </p>