Golden Girl Preetismita Bhoi: The Teen Weightlifting Legend
Preetismita Bhoi, a 15year old, from Odisha, India, has made the country proud by winning a gold and setting a new youth world record in the 40 kg weight category at the 2024 IWF Youth World Weightlifting Championships at Lima, Peru on Wednesday, 22nd of May, 2024. This is the first time an Indian lifter has set a youth world record.
Competing in the 40kg weight class, Preetismita lifted 57 kg in snatch and 76 kg in clean & jerk for a total weight of 133 kg. In clean & jerk, she surpassed the world record by one kilogram.
“I am honoured and thrilled to have set a new world record. This is a dream come true and I couldn’t have done it without the support of my coaches, family and Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF). I hope this inspires others to pursue their dreams with determination and hard work” said Preetismita.
Preetismita balances her schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya with her training at the Odisha Weightlifting HPC sub-centre in Dhenkanal under the mentorship of Gopal Das.
Following Preetismita Bhoi, is another 15-year-old resilient achiever, Jyoshna Sabar. Jyoshna won the silver, lifting a total of 130 kgs, including 60 kg in Snatch to set a new national record and 70 kg in Clean and Jerk.
Jyoshna, originally from the tribal village of Marlaba, in the Gajapati district of Odisha has overcome her impoverished background, and emerged as one of India’s top junior weightlifters. She receives home-schooling alongside her training at the Bhubaneswar center.
“She is from a very humble and remote background. Only in the last few months has she begun to know more about the world, when she travelled for the World Championships. She does not speak much. We treat her like a delicate flower, because if you say anything to her, she gets scared,” said Jyoshna’s coach Ravi.
Jyoshna boasts additional accomplishments under her belt. She won bronze medal at the World Youth Championships in Albania last year. She broke the national snatch record and secured the gold medal in the 40kg category at the 6th Khelo India Youth Games in Chennai.
Preetismita’s groundbreaking gold and world record at the 2024 IWF Youth World Weightlifting Championships, marking a historic milestone in the country’s weightlifting history. Meanwhile, Jyoshna’s silver medal and remarkable journey from a humble tribal village to becoming a national record holder exemplify the power of determination and hard work. Their success inspires us all and proves that with hard work, anyone can achieve their dreams. Congratulations to both of them on their amazing achievements!
-Staff Reporter
