North News
New Delhi, December 28
India’s youth weightlifters are targeting greater success in the new year, following a standout performance at the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar. The team clinched 33 medals, including 7 golds, across both youth and junior categories, signalling a promising future for Indian weightlifting.
The competition, held from December 19 to 25, featured 40 categories, with medals awarded in snatch, clean and jerk, and overall sections. India’s youth lifters (13-17 years) dominated with 21 medals, while the junior lifters (15-20 years) added 12 more to the medal tally.
A highlight of the competition was 16-year-old Jyoshna Sabar from Uttar Pradesh, who set an Asian record in the women’s 40kg youth category with a combined lift of 135kg. Her achievement reflected coach Vijay Sharma’s belief that India’s women athletes have immense potential to win on the international stage.
The Khelo India initiative played a key role in the success, with 22 of the 24 Indian athletes competing in Doha coming from the program. They trained at the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) National Centres of Excellence (NCoEs) in Patiala, Imphal, and Aurangabad.
Alakesh Baruah, High-Performance Manager for weightlifting at NIS Patiala, credited the long-term training process and support from the SAI and Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF). “These young athletes hold great promise for future junior and senior competitions,” he said.
Looking ahead, the next major target for the athletes is the qualification for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Maibam Martina Devi, who secured silver in the women’s Junior +87kg category, shared her plans, stating that the 2025 trials for Commonwealth qualification would be a key focus.
On the men’s side, Sairaj Pardeshi set a new national record in the men’s youth 81kg category, lifting 310kg in total. Pardeshi, who joined NIS Patiala in 2024 after training in Maharashtra and Aurangabad, credited the training at SAI centres for his rapid progress. He also expressed gratitude for the support from the Khelo India scheme, which has helped with nutrition and supplements.
With such promising performances, India’s weightlifters are well-positioned to make their mark on the international stage in the years ahead, particularly with the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026 just around the corner.
