Indian weightlifting sensation Koyel Bar has made history by smashing two youth world records en route to winning double gold medals at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships. Competing in the women’s 53kg youth category, the 17-year-old from Howrah, West Bengal, delivered a stunning performance on Tuesday that has placed her firmly on the global stage.
Bar’s record-breaking display in Ahmedabad began with her impressive snatch lift of 85kg, which equaled the existing youth world record. She then went on to shatter the clean and jerk youth world record by lifting a massive 107kg, surpassing the previous mark of 105kg. This phenomenal effort culminated in a combined total of 192kg, which also set a new youth world record, breaking the previous mark of 188kg.
The young prodigy’s performance was so dominant that her total lift even surpassed the 185kg total of her senior compatriot, Sneha Soren, who secured the silver medal in the same weight category. This win not only earned Koyel Bar gold in the youth category but also in the junior division, underscoring her immense potential.
“I was targeting the world record,” a confident Koyel Bar said after her victory. “I normally lift 107-108kg in clean and jerk during training, and the record was within my reach.” According to her coach, national chief weightlifting coach Vijay Sharma, Koyel’s success is the result of her disciplined training and a systematic approach to honing her raw talent. Her journey, which began in 2018, is seen as a testament to the future of Indian weightlifting, with the young athlete now a role model for aspiring athletes across the country.
