Indian youth and junior weightlifters are setting ambitious targets following their commendable performance at the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships held in Doha from 19–25 December 2024. The event saw Indian athletes securing a total of 33 medals, including seven golds in the youth category and 12 medals from the junior lifters.
The athletes’ next major goal is to qualify for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. National weightlifting coach Vijay Sharma, who has mentored Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu, described the Doha performance as a step in the right direction, showcasing the potential for future international success.
The competition in Qatar featured 40 events across youth (13–17 years) and junior (15–20 years) categories, with medals awarded for snatch, clean and jerk, and total weight lifted in each class. Uttar Pradesh’s 16-year-old Jyoshna Sabar was a standout performer, setting an Asian record in the women’s youth 40kg category with a combined lift of 135kg.
The junior category also saw notable performances, including a silver medal haul by Manipur’s Maibam Martina Devi in the +87kg class. Among the men, Maharashtra’s Sairaj Pardeshi created a new national record with an overall lift of 310kg in the youth 81kg category.
The majority of the Indian contingent in Doha—22 out of 24 athletes—were products of the Khelo India programme, which aims to nurture grassroots talent and prepare them for international competition. Training was conducted at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) National Centres of Excellence in Patiala, Imphal, and Aurangabad.
Alakesh Baruah, High-Performance Manager for Weightlifting at NIS Patiala, credited the success to a sustained training process supported by SAI and the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF). Trials for international competitions were held earlier this year under the supervision of Dronacharya Award-winning coach Vijay Sharma.
The Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Ahmedabad in 2025 will serve as the qualifying event for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Athletes like Martina Devi are already preparing for these trials and other competitions, such as the National Games in Uttarakhand.
For Pardeshi, the Doha gold medal marked a significant milestone. Reflecting on his journey, he highlighted the role of SAI centres in providing structured training, nutritional support, and coaching expertise. He credited the Khelo India scholarship for enabling access to necessary supplements and resources, which he believes have been crucial to his progress.
The Doha results have reinforced confidence in the prospects of India’s weightlifting programme. Vijay Sharma noted that women lifters, in particular, are showing significant potential for international success. Officials hope the strong youth representation will bolster India’s performance in upcoming world and senior-level competitions.
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List of Medallists
Junior Category:
- Sanjana: Silver (Women’s Junior 76kg – Clean & Jerk), Silver (Total)
- Nilam Devi: Silver (Women’s Junior 55kg – Snatch, Clean & Jerk, Total)
- Maibam Martina Devi: Silver (Women’s Junior +87kg – Clean & Jerk, Total), Bronze (Snatch)
- Valluri Ajaya Babu: Silver (Men’s Junior 81kg – Snatch)
- Payal: Bronze (Women’s Junior 45kg – Clean & Jerk, Total)
- Shankar Lapung: Bronze (Men’s Junior 61kg – Total)
Youth Category:
- Jyoshna Sabar: Gold (Women’s Youth 40kg – Snatch, Clean & Jerk, Total)
- Payal: Gold (Women’s Youth 45kg – Snatch, Total), Bronze (Clean & Jerk)
- Koyel Bar: Gold (Women’s Youth 55kg – Clean & Jerk), Silver (Total), Bronze (Snatch)
- Sairaj Pardeshi: Gold (Men’s Youth 81kg – Total), Silver (Snatch, Clean & Jerk)
- Preetismita Bhoi: Silver (Women’s Youth 45kg – Clean & Jerk)
- Sanjana: Silver (Women’s Youth 76kg – Snatch, Clean & Jerk, Total)
- K Oviya: Silver (Women’s Youth 81kg – Clean & Jerk)
- Babulal Hembrom: Bronze (Men’s Youth 49kg – Total)
- Asmita Dhone: Bronze (Women’s Youth 49kg – Clean & Jerk)
- Parv Chaudhary: Bronze (Men’s Youth 96kg – Clean & Jerk, Total)
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