On October 26, Odisha’s young weightlifter, Priteesmita Bhoi, won gold in the girls' 44kg division of the Youth Asian Games, shattering the world youth record in clean and jerk. This record was created at the 3rd Asian Youth Games in Bahrain on Sunday.
She lifted a total of 158 kg, and in the process, set Asian and World records in clean & jerk with 92 kg.
India's 17-year-old lifter Maharajan Arumugapandian became second, clinching the boys' 60kg silver with an accumulated weight of 256kg.
Who is Preetismita Bhoi?
Preetismita Bhoi from Dhenkanal in Odisha will turn 17 this November. She gets training at the Weightlifting High Performance Centre in Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium. When she became the first Indian lifter to win the women's 40 kg gold at the World Youth Championships in Peru last year, setting a clean and jerk world record, she already showed her talent, and people were looking up to her performance.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan congratulated Preetismita Bhoi for making India proud.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan posted on X, “Preetismita Bhoi from Dhenkanal, Odisha, makes India proud at the 3rd Youth Asian Games 2025 being held at Bahrain. Bagging Gold Medal in the 44 kg category, she has also scripted a new Asian and World record in Clean & Jerk with a massive 92 kg lift. Congratulate her for the record-smashing performance. May she continue to shine and make India proud.”
The 16-year-old lifted 92kg in clean & jerk to set the world youth record, and 66kg in snatch to aggregate 158kg to take the top podium spot in the competition. She improved it by three kilograms in her second lift and finally successfully heaved 92kgs for the record.
