India’s Youth Weightlifters Set Sights on Commonwealth Games 2026 Qualification After Stellar Asian Championship Performance.

New Delhi:

India’s emerging weightlifting stars have set their sights on the 2026 Commonwealth Games, following a remarkable showing at the 2024 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Doha. The event, held from December 19-25, saw Indian lifters clinch a total of 33 medals across youth and junior categories, including 7 golds, reinforcing the country’s growing weightlifting potential.

The youth lifters, aged 13-17, dominated the competition, securing 21 medals, while the junior athletes (15-20 years) contributed an additional 12. Among the standout performances was 16-year-old Jyoshna Sabar from Uttar Pradesh, who set an Asian record with a combined lift of 135 kg in the women’s 40kg youth category.

As the athletes turn their focus to qualifying for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2026, National Weightlifting Coach and Olympian, Vijay Sharma, praised the promising results. “This is a bright future for India,” he said, highlighting the success of the youth athletes trained under the Khelo India initiative, which plays a key role in nurturing grassroots talent. Of the 24 lifters representing India in Doha, 22 were Khelo India athletes, all of whom trained at the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) National Centres of Excellence (NCoEs) in Patiala, Imphal, and Aurangabad.

Looking ahead, Maibam Martina Devi, a silver medalist at the Asian meet, is gearing up for the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Ahmedabad in 2025, which will serve as the qualifier for the 2026 Games. Meanwhile, Sairaj Pardeshi, a rising star in men’s weightlifting, set a new national record with an overall lift of 310 kg, reflecting the positive impact of SAI training centers on his career.

With continued support from the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) and the Khelo India program, India’s weightlifting future looks promising as these athletes strive for success on the world stage.

Medallists at the 2024 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships:

Junior Category:

Sanjana: Silver (Women’s Junior 76kg – Clean & Jerk, Total)

Nilam Devi: Silver (Women’s Junior 55kg – Snatch, Clean & Jerk, Total)

Maibam Martina Devi: Silver (Women’s Junior +87kg – Total, Clean & Jerk), Bronze (Snatch)

Valluri Ajaya Babu: Silver (Men’s Junior 81kg – Snatch)

Payal: Bronze (Women’s Junior 45kg – Total, Clean & Jerk)

Shankar Lapung: Bronze (Men’s Junior 61kg – Total)

Youth Category:

Jyoshna Sabar: Gold (Women’s Youth 40kg – Total, Snatch, Clean & Jerk)

Payal: Gold (Women’s Youth 45kg – Total, Snatch), 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 – Total, Snatch, Clean & Jerk)

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)