Who Claimed the First Weightlifting Medals at KIYG 2025?

Rajgir (Bihar), May 14 (NationPress) - The host states of Bihar and Jammu & Kashmir celebrated their inaugural victories in weightlifting during the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 on Wednesday. Inside the Rajgir Sports Complex, Satwik Luthra from J&K secured the silver medal by lifting a total of 263kg, while Ujjwal Singh from Bihar earned the bronze with a lift of 241kg. The gold medal was claimed by Sunny Bhati of Haryana, who effortlessly lifted 151kg in the clean & jerk, surpassing his J&K counterpart.

The five-day weightlifting event wrapped up on Wednesday, showcasing a remarkable series of records, although the final day did not see any new ones. In total, 13 national youth records were established during the competition.

Maharashtra set five records, with Uttar Pradesh contributing three, while Odisha set two. Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Haryana each added one record to the tally. Earlier in the Khelo India Youth Games held in Tamil Nadu, eight national youth records were also broken.

Luthra maintained composure and almost secured gold. Had he succeeded in his third attempt of 151kg in the clean & jerk, it would have put pressure on Bhati. Luthra bravely overcame a wrist injury sustained two months before the Indian Weightlifting Federation National Championships this January to compete at his second Khelo India Youth Games.

“My mind was racing with various thoughts, especially with ongoing events across the border. My coach, Aakash Virdhy, taught me to focus on one lift at a time. I’m thrilled to have earned the silver medal. His support has been instrumental in my journey. I started lifting three years ago, encouraged by my father. I also won a silver at the National Championships,” Luthra shared with SAI Media.

Ujjwal Singh, hailing from the Jehanabad district of Bihar, trains at the Sports Authority of India’s Khelo India Centre in his locality, which nurtures around 50 young athletes from cadet to senior lifters.

“Initially, I felt nervous, but my brother’s advice helped me stay focused and perform to the best of my ability. This is my first medal at Khelo India and I'm proud to be the first from Bihar to achieve this in weightlifting,” Singh stated to SAI Media.

Son of a retired soldier, Amarnath Singh, he aims to qualify for the selection trials for the Commonwealth Championships in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, this August.

“Winning this medal has boosted my confidence. I plan to continue working hard for a chance at the Commonwealth Championships later this year. The support from SAI has been invaluable, providing high-quality training equipment and expert coaches and physiotherapists for recovery. I hope this performance will attract scholarship opportunities,” he added.

Kerala’s Amrutha P. Suni lifted 79kg in snatch and 102kg in clean & jerk to clinch the youth girls +81kg gold. Karnati Naga Ramalakshmi of Andhra Pradesh secured silver with a total lift of 176kg (75+101), while Gagandeep Kaur from Punjab took bronze with 167kg.

Amrutha, training at NCOE Lucknow, was inspired by her father, a former national-level lifter and engineering supervisor. He encouraged her to pursue his dream of representing India in international competitions.

“I’m overjoyed to win the gold medal, as I was anxious about a tight competition. When I’m on stage, my sole focus is on achieving the task at hand. My ultimate goal is to represent India in the Olympics, and I know I must work hard, starting with medals at the Asian Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Games. I am ready to take on that challenge,” Amrutha expressed to SAI Media.

“Being part of NCOE Lucknow has provided me with tremendous benefits, including access to top-tier coaches, sports science experts, and nutritionists. My training, diet, and injury management are carefully monitored, with physiotherapists always on hand to support us. This is essential for any athlete,” she added.