Jyoshna Sabar, 16, from Uttar Pradesh, was one of the standout performances in Doha. She set an Asian record in the women’s youth 40kg category with a total lift of 135 kg.
Following their remarkable performance at the Asian youth and junior weightlifting championships in Doha on December 19-25, India’s medal-winning competitors hope to advance in the coming year.The weightlifting tournament in Qatar included 40 categories, with 20 each for youth and junior divisions. Medals were given out for snatch, clean and jerk, and overall parts in each of the 40 categories.
India’s youth lifters (aged 13 to 17) won 21 medals, including seven golds. The juniors (aged 15 to 20) earned 12 medals.
The lifters’ next goal is to qualify for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2026, and national weightlifting coach and Olympian Mirabai Chanu’s mentor Vijay Sharma says the Doha result was promising and heralds “a bright future for India”.Jyoshna Sabar, 16, from Uttar Pradesh, was a standout performer in Doha. She set an Asian record in the women’s juvenile 40kg class, lifting 135 kgs in total.This reinforced Sharma’s belief that “India’s women had greater prospects of winning international medals.” Khelo India’s objective to identify grassroots talent and develop it into prospective international winners received a big boost when 22 of the 24 men and women who represented India in Doha came from their stable.
The entire squad trained in one of three Sports Authority of India (SAI) National Centres of Excellence (NCoEs) located at NIS Patiala, Imphal, or Aurangabad.Baruah noted that the medals in Doha were earned through a “long process (of training) and support from the SAI and the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF).”
