On Sunday, October 26, Indian weightlifter Preetismitha Bhoi made a youth world record of 92kg at the 3rd Asian Youth Games in Manama, Bahrain. She made the record by winning a gold medal in the girls’ 44kg weightlifting event. In addition to that, she also won silver in the 66kg division, surpassing her previous record by 3 kg scored at the Commonwealth Championships.
Hailing from Dhenkanal, Bhoi ended up setting Asian and World records in a clean performance of the 92 kg lift. Her performance began with her first attempt of a 66 kg lift, following which she failed to lift 68 kg and 69 kg in her next two attempts. With this, she missed her chance of double gold with China’s Jihong Wu taking the win in Snatch with her best lift of 68kg.
For Preetismita, a strong comeback was much needed, and she proved it after defeating her Chinese opponent by 4 Kgs after performing three successful lifts of 87 kg, 90 kg, and 92 kg, respectively, in clean and jerk.
For Bhoi, this was her second youth world record. Last year, she became the first Indian lifter to win the women’s 40 kg gold at the 2024 World Youth Championships held in Peru. With this, she also made her first youth world record, performing a 76 kg lift.
The 16-year-old currently trains at the Weightlifting High Performance Centre at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
Following her win, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan took to social media and congratulated Bhoi on representing India and setting the Youth World Record.
Dharmendra wrote 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,”
India bags bronze medal in Taekwondo and Muaythai
India got its first-ever medal in Muaythai after Alphonsa Zinia Wriang finished in fourth place in the Girls’ Wai Kru finals with a score of 8.47, to clinch the bronze medal. Her performance improved from her qualifying round performance, where she scored 8.27 points.
India bagged another medal in Taekwondo from the mixed team of Hardik Ahlawat, Dhanashree Pawar, Gharluxmi Phurailatpam, and Nihal Dewali after making it to the final four from two crucial victories against Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia. The team lost the semi-finals to Thailand but secured a bronze medal for India.
Anjali Jakhar missed out on the podium finish in the cycling sport after finishing in fourth place in the Girls’ Individual Time Trial Road Race finals match after ending with a timing of 17:43.89s.
