Teenage Indian weightlifter sets two youth world records at Commonwealth Championships

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New Delhi: Seventeen year old Indian weightlifter Koyel Bar scripted history on Tuesday after setting two new youth world records at the Commonwealth Championships in Ahmedabad. Koyel clinched both the youth and junior titles in the 53rdkg event at the ongoing championships to etch her name in history books.

The able athlete was competing in both the junior and youth categories and produced a sensational total lift of 192kg. In the youth category, she lifted 85kg while in the junior category, Koyel lifted 107 kg to register the monumental feat.

Firstly, the weightlifter equalled the snatch youth world record with an 85kg effort while next she bettered the clean and jerk mark of 105kg by lifting a clean 107kg in what was her second attempt. By virtue of both these sensational lifts, Koyel erased the existing youth world total record of 188kg and scripted a new one.

Koyel ahead than compatriot

Koyel’s effort was three kilograms more than her compatriot Sneha Soren, who earned the silver medal in the senior category with a lift of 185kg (81kg + 104kg). Sneha’s effort lacked a bit towards the end as the Indian weightlifter finished way behind Nigerian Omolola Didih, who scripted the Commonwealth snatch and total records with 197kg (90kg + 107kg) making her country proud.

While the women’s division proved to be sizzling, Indian athlete Raja Muthupandi narrowly missed out on gold medal after failing in two snatch attempts in the men’s 65kg division. Muthupandi’s total of 296kg (128kg+168kg) left him just a kg short of Malaysian Muhamad Aznil Bin Bidin, who totalled 297kg (125kg + 172kg). In a competition which witnessed wrestlers from many countries, Papua New Guinea’s Morea Baru claimed the bronze medal with a lift of 292kg (127kg + 165kg).