Bedabrat Bharali became the first Indian male lifter to win a gold medal in the World youth championships in Lima, Peru, on Friday. This was the second gold for the country in the event after Preetismita Bhoi’s title victory in women’s 40kg.
The 17-year-old Bharali – who had secured a bronze with 267kg in 67kg in the World youth championships in Durres, Albania, in March 2023, apart from winning the Asian youth crown with a lift of 273kg in Noida in August that year – lifted 136kg in snatch and 160kg in clean and jerk for a total of 296kg and win the men’s 73kg title. The youngster from Assam bagged three gold medals, including two in snatch and clean and jerk.
Ryan Patrick McDonald of the USA took the silver with 284kg, while Serhii Kotelevskyi of Ukraine secured the bronze with 283kg.
According to the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) website, the 67kg champion in 2023, Seryozha Barseghyan from Armenia, had to withdraw due to an injury after making his first snatch.
The previous best performances by Indian men in the event came in 2016, when Jeremy Lalrinnunga and M. Raja claimed 56kg silver and bronze respectively at Penang, Malaysia.
Competing in 81kg, Sairaj Pardeshi, who claimed bronze with 135kg, finished fourth overall.
