Did Maharashtra's Pardeshi Break Three National Weightlifting Records at KIYG 2025?

Rajgir (Bihar), May 12 (NationPress) - Maharashtra's weightlifter Sairaj Rajesh Pardeshi has made headlines by breaking three youth national records to secure a gold medal for Maharashtra at the ongoing Khelo India Youth Games held at the Rajgir Sports Complex on Monday.

Pardeshi lifted a remarkable total of 312kg (140+172), surpassing his own records in snatch (139kg), clean & jerk (171kg), and overall lift (311kg), emerging as the champion in the 81kg category. Notably, he had set all three records during the Asian Championships in Doha, Qatar, back in December 2024.

M. Tarun from Andhra Pradesh claimed the silver medal with a total lift of 287kg, while Uttar Pradesh's Aayush Rana secured bronze with a lift of 264kg.

The day wrapped up with Tamanna earning Haryana's first weightlifting gold at KIYC 2025 with a snatch record of 86kg, breaking the previous record of 85kg set by Chelsi from Delhi during the Indian Weightlifting Federation's National Championships in Itanagar this January.

Andhra Pradesh’s Challabathula Juhitha Guna took silver with a total lift of 171kg, while Kerala’s Renumol P. R. settled for bronze with 164kg. Tamanna’s performance marked the 10th record in the weightlifting competition to date.

Sairaj Pardeshi, who has been training under Alkesh Barua at the Sports Authority of India’s Netaji Subhash National Institute of Sports in Patiala since 2024, was far ahead of his competitors, successfully defending the KIYG gold he won in Chennai last year within the same weight class. Previously, he earned a bronze in the 73kg category at the 2023 KIYG in Indore. Pardeshi joined the SAI’s National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Aurangabad in 2021 and trained under DD Sharma.

“Initially, my focus was not on breaking records but rather on taking one lift at a time. However, as the competition progressed, I became determined to perform at my best. I owe a debt of gratitude to my family, coaches, and the government for their unwavering support,” said Sairaj.

“I aspire to be the first Indian male to win an Olympic medal in weightlifting. While Karnam Malleswari and Mirabai Chanu have achieved that, no Indian men have yet medaled in the Summer Games. I’m determined to change that,” he expressed to SAI Media.

With the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) planning to revise weight categories for international competitions next month, Pardeshi aims to move up to the 88kg class.

“I want to transition into the 88kg class as it is likely to be the new standard set by the IWF. I believe that increasing my body weight will further enhance my lifting capabilities. Being part of the NCOE provides numerous benefits, including world-class coaching and training facilities, as well as recovery support, which is essential for lifters due to the injury risks involved in the sport,” he added.

“All expenses for national and international competitions are covered, making an athlete’s life significantly easier. I am grateful to the Sports Ministry and SAI for their tremendous support,” said the 17-year-old.

Earlier, Tayar Ronik secured Arunachal Pradesh's first weightlifting gold at KIYG 2025 by lifting 154kg in clean & jerk on his final attempt, narrowly beating Hemanta Doimari from Assam in the 73kg class. Tayar achieved a total lift of 267kg, just one kilogram more than Hemanta, while Himanshu Kushwaha from Madhya Pradesh earned bronze with a total lift of 255kg.

After struggling to earn medals in the past two KIYG editions and three Indian Weightlifting Federation National Youth Championships, Tayar Ronik overcame self-doubt to finally win the gold.

“I am thrilled with this victory, being my first Khelo India medal after three attempts. Previously, I had missed out on a medal in the Nationals, so this win is a huge relief after all the hard work I’ve put in to achieve it,” Tayar shared with SAI Media.

“I didn’t return to my hometown after the Nationals last October as I was disappointed with myself for not winning. I promised I would go home only after winning a medal.” Tayar began weightlifting at the age of 9.

In the youth girls 64kg event, Gujjala Varshita from Andhra Pradesh won gold with a total lift of 174kg, edging out her rival Tiki Mohini Mallik from Odisha by two kilograms. Hailing from the hometown of Olympic medallist Karnam Malleswari, Gujjala aims to represent India at major events like the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

“Winning gold here is a great joy for me. My next goal is to qualify for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games through the upcoming selection trials,” Gujjala stated.

On the other hand, Tiki, from Malukutupulli village in the Ganjam district, has been training at the High-Performance Centre in Bhubaneswar since 2021. The daughter of a paddy farmer, she is guided by coach K. Venkat Laxmi and is targeting the Odisha State Championship and the IWLF National Championship.

In the day's opening event, Maharashtra's Tanuja Subhash Pol earned the gold medal in the youth girls 59kg category by lifting a total of 171kg (71+100). Andhra Pradesh's Tharangini Karangi claimed silver with 170kg, while Bhavna Gogoi from Assam took home bronze with 167kg. Tanuja, who trains under coach Samrat Pawar, hails from Karad town in Satara district, while Bhavna, training at the Karnam Malleswari Weightlifting Academy in Bilaspur, Haryana, aspires to represent India someday.