India’s young athletes did an amazing job at the Asian youth and junior weightlifting championships held in Doha from December 19 to 25. They brought home a total of 33 medals! Now, they are setting their sights on qualifying for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2026. The national coach, Vijay Sharma, who also mentored Olympic champion Mirabai Chanu, thinks our future in weightlifting looks bright thanks to the strong performance in Doha.
The competition featured 40 different categories, with 20 for youth (ages 13-17) and 20 for juniors (ages 15-20). In the youth section, India’s lifters earned 21 medals, including 7 golds. The junior team added 12 more medals to the tally. A standout performer was 16-year-old Jyoshna Sabar from Uttar Pradesh, who set an Asian record in the women’s youth 40kg class by lifting a total of 135 kgs!
Khelo India has helped young athletes by spotting talent and training them to excel. Out of the 24 athletes from India, 22 were part of the Khelo India program. They trained at one of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centers located in Patiala, Imphal, and Aurangabad. Alakesh Baruah, who manages high performance in weightlifting at NIS Patiala, praised the youth athletes for their potential in future competitions.
Maibam Martina Devi, who won silver in the women’s Junior +87kg category at the 2024 Asian meet, talked about her plans. She said, “In 2025, we will start trials for the Commonwealth Games 2026.” This series of events will happen in Ahmedabad, and she will also take part in the National Games in Uttarakhand.
In the men’s category, Sairaj Pardeshi broke a national record with an overall lift of 310 kgs in the 81kg youth category. Sairaj, who joined NIS Patiala after training in Maharashtra, expressed gratitude for the support from SAI centers, saying they greatly helped him with discipline, diet, and coaching.
Overall, India’s young weightlifters show great promise for the future!
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