Bhubaneswar: The ASMITA Khelo India Women’s Weightlifting Tournament (Zone A) that commenced from July 11 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar concluded on Sunday with Odisha emerging Champions in the Senior, Junior and Youth Categories.
With a total of 27 medals in its kitty, the weightlifters from Odisha have brought immense pride to the state and the weightlifting ecosystem of Odisha, a press release said.
In the Youth Category, they secured 6 Gold, 1 Silver, and 3 Bronze medals. The Junior Category saw Odisha clinching 3 Gold, 3 Silver, and 1 Bronze medal. The Senior Category further showcased their strength with 4 Gold, 2 Silver, and 4 Bronze medals. The event showcased the exceptional talent and hard work of athletes from the region, setting a new benchmark in the sport.
The runner-up states were Jharkhand in the Youth Category, Bihar in the Junior Category, and Chhattisgarh in the Senior Category.
Jyoshna Sabar from Odisha (40 kg) earned the Best Lifter title in the Youth Girls category. In the Junior Women category, Mina Santa from Odisha (55 kg) secured the Best Lifter title.
Gyaneshwari Yadav from Chhattisgarh (49 kg) was named the Best Lifter in the Senior Women category.
The closing ceremony was graced by Joint Secretary, Sports & Youth Services, Sailendra Jena, who presented the awards to the victorious athletes. In his address, Jena commended the participants for their dedication and perseverance, highlighting the importance of sports in fostering discipline and resilience among the youth.
Speaking about the achievements of Odisha Weightlifters, he said, “The future of Weightlifting is bright. The energy and determination displayed by our weightlifters is truly inspiring. They have made Odisha proud with their achievements, and I am confident they will continue to excel on even bigger stages,” said Sailendra Jena.
The outstanding results from Odisha’s weightlifters has proved state’s growing prominence in Weightlifting, he added.
Odisha Weightlifting Association has been supportive in this endeavour and provided all the requisite facilities to organise the competition successfully. “Government of Odisha with all its initiatives have provided weightlifting a major boost, providing athletes with state of the art infrastructure and a holistic training. I urge all states to follow Odisha’s footsteps in supporting the sport,” said Anand Gowda, Secretary General of Indian Weightlifting Federation.
