All posts tagged: Indian weightlifters

All you need to know about the 2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar

All you need to know about the 2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar

Published by Webster

India is set to host the prestigious 2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar from May 12 to May 17, 2026, bringing together some of the biggest names in world weightlifting. India is hosting the Asian Weightlifting Championships for the first time in 44 years. The tournament was originally scheduled to be held from April 1 to 10 but was later rescheduled due to tensions in the Middle East and Gulf region. Around 260 athletes from nearly 30 countries are registered for the championship, making it one of the biggest continental weightlifting events in Asia this year. The competition also carries major significance as it contributes towards qualification pathways for the upcoming Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. Star-studded field featuring Olympic and World champions The verified entry list includes several Olympic medallists and World Champions, promising high-quality competition across all categories. Among the biggest attractions is Liu Huanhua, the Paris 2024 Olympic Champion and 2023 World Champion. He will be joined by Fares Ibrahim El-Bakh, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Champion. In the women’s events, Park Hye-jeong, …

From bamboo training to national medals, Babulal Hembrom rises through adversity

From bamboo training to national medals, Babulal Hembrom rises through adversity

Published by Webster

When a former Army coach, Gurvinder Singh, suggested that Babulal Hembrom stop playing other sports and take up weightlifting given his body structure, the biggest challenge for the teenager from Keribanda village in Ramgarh District of Jharkhand was to find funds to pursue the sport. But instead of giving up, Babulal began training by using bamboo sticks and iron rods at construction sites before joining the Jharkhand State Sports Promotion Society coaching centre, which meant commuting 60 km daily to train under Gurvinder. “It was a tough period for me when I took up the sport in 2018. Financially, we couldn’t afford the equipment and the kit to train and hence I would make do with bamboo sticks and iron rods. Then I got coaching support from JSPS and my coach and here I am,” said Babulal, who won the silver medal in the men’s 60kg category at the Khelo India Tribal Games 2026 here. “My mother works as a cook in a local school and my father works odd jobs and we always struggled …

Mirabai Chanu smashes three National Records at IWLF National Weightlifting C’ships

Mirabai Chanu smashes three National Records at IWLF National Weightlifting C’ships

Published by Webster

Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu Saikhom delivered a dominant performance on the opening days of the IWLF National Youth, Junior, and Senior Weightlifting Championships 2025-26, rewriting the national record books in the Senior Women’s 48 kg category at Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh. Competing at the Yadav Farm House venue, Mirabai produced a flawless series of lifts to claim the gold medal, setting new national records in all three segments. She lifted 89 kg in the snatch, followed by a powerful 116 kg in the clean and jerk, finishing with a combined total of 205 kg. Her total placed her well clear of the rest of the field and marked one of the standout performances of the championships so far. The national championships officially began on February 3 with an opening ceremony attended by senior officials from the Indian Weightlifting Federation and Indian Olympic Association, along with athletes and coaches from across the country. Around 790 lifters from 30 states and union territories, as well as three departmental boards, are competing in the 12-day event that runs …

Nilam Devi levels Mirabai’s senior NR

Nilam Devi levels Mirabai’s senior NR

Published by Webster

Lamabam Nilam Devi clinched three silver medals in the Junior Women’s 55kg category, leveling Mirabai Chanu’s senior national record of 86kg in the snatch category at the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Doha, Qatar. The 20-year-old Indian weightlifter also bettered her personal best by 4kg to break the junior national record in overall category by lifting a total of 190kg. However, she missed the junior national record in clean and jerk by 2kg, lifting 104kg. She started the day on a high and broke the snatch junior national record by lifting 86kg. It also helped her to level Chanu’s senior national record, which the latter registered at the 2022 Singapore International. Nilam’s performance took India’s tally in the junior category to five, including three silver and two bronze medals. Koyel Bar wins three medals 16-year-old Koyel Bar won three medals in the women’s 55kg youth category, including one gold medal in the clean and jerk category for her best lift of 103kg. This is also a new national record in the youth category. …

Gyaneshwari Yadav finishes fifth in 49kg category

Gyaneshwari Yadav finishes fifth in 49kg category

Published by Webster

Indian weightlifter Gyaneshwari Yadav finished fifth in the women’s 49kg category at the IWF World Weightlifting Championships 2024 on Saturday. The 21-year-old, making her championship debut, recorded a total lift of 182kg, falling 4kg short of her personal best. Gyaneshwari’s performance included an 80kg lift in the snatch and 102kg in the clean and jerk. Despite a challenging start in the snatch, where she missed her first two attempts, she recovered to secure an 80kg lift on her final try. In the clean and jerk, she succeeded with lifts of 99kg and 102kg but failed in her final attempt. The gold medal in the 49kg category was claimed by Ri Song-gum of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea with a dominant 213kg total. China’s Xiang Linxiang took silver, while Rosegie Ramos of the Philippines earned bronze. Notably, Gyaneshwari competed in the absence of Mirabai Chanu, India’s top weightlifter, who is undergoing long-term rehabilitation. India’s campaign continues at the World Weightlifting Championships 2024, with Bindyarani Devi set to compete in the women’s 55kg event on Sunday …