NAGROTA BAGWAN (HP), OCT 12 :In a spectacular display of strength and skill, Ajith Narayana, Harjinder Kaur, and Harmanpreet Kaur broke multiple records to clinch gold medals at the National Weightlifting Championships 2024 this week. The event, held at the Rainbow Khelo India Residential Academy, showcased the best of Indian weightlifting talent.

Competing in the men’s 73kg category, 25-year-old Narayana set new national records in both the clean and jerk and total lifts.

On Wednesday, he lifted an impressive 140kg in the snatch and 178kg in the clean and jerk, achieving a combined total of 318kg. This remarkable performance not only secured him the gold medal but also broke the previous total record of 316kg set by Commonwealth Games 2022 champion Achinta Sheuli, along with his own clean and jerk record of 174kg.

Lalhunthara finished in silver medal position with a total lift of 298kg (127kg snatch + 171kg clean and jerk), while Deepa Lather took bronze with a total of 297kg (136kg snatch + 161kg clean and jerk).

In the women’s 71kg category, Harjinder made waves by breaking national records in all three disciplines—snatch, clean and jerk, and total. She achieved a remarkable lift of 98kg in the snatch, 125kg in the clean and jerk, and a total of 223kg, surpassing her own previous records of 96kg, 124kg, and 220kg, respectively.

S Pallavi secured the silver with a total lift of 208kg (94kg snatch + 114kg clean and jerk), while M Lekha Maalya earned bronze with a total of 195kg (83kg snatch + 112kg clean and jerk).

Adding to the excitement, Harmanpreet made her mark on Friday by setting new records in the women’s 76kg category for clean and jerk and total. The 23-year-old lifter recorded a snatch of 96kg and a clean and jerk of 127kg, bringing her total to 223kg.

Rakhi and Heena followed closely behind, winning silver and bronze with totals of 215kg (92kg snatch + 123kg clean and jerk) and 211kg (88kg snatch + 123kg clean and jerk), respectively.

Earlier in the championship, Muthupandi Raja captured headlines in the men’s 61kg category by breaking national records in total and clean and jerk, while Rishikanta Singh set a new national record in snatch within the same weight division. Additionally, Sufna Jasmin made history by establishing national records in snatch and total in the women’s 45kg category.

The IWLF National Youth, Junior, and Senior Weightlifting Championships commenced on 7 October and will conclude on 13 October. This year’s championships feature approximately 860 athletes, comprising 480 men and 380 women, competing across various age groups and categories.