16-year-old Harshada got two steps ahead of Mirabai Chanu and got India’s first gold in Junior World Weightlifting Championship. Earlier Mirabai Chanu won the bronze medal in this competition in 2013 and Achinta Sheuli won the silver medal in 2021 last year.
Harshada Sharad Garud created history by winning the gold medal at the International Weightlifting Federation’s Junior World Championships on Monday. Harshada became the first weightlifter to win a gold medal for India in this competition.
Performance of Harshada in the Championship
In this competition going on in Heraklion city of Greece, 16-year-old Harshada won the gold medal by lifting a total of 153 kg (70KG + 83KG) in the 45 kg category. With this victory of Harshada, India’s medal account opened on the very first day of the tournament. In the same category, India’s Anjali Patil finished fifth with a total weight of 148 kg (67KG+81KG).
Harshada lifted 70 kg in snatch and 83 kg in clean-and-jerk
Harshada stood first in the snatch by lifting 70 kg and in clean-and-jerk by lifting 83 kg. In clean-and-jerk, Harshada was ahead of Turkey’s Bektas Kansu who lifted 85 kg. However, in the snatch, Bektas lifted only 65 kg, due to which his total lift was 150 kg (65KG + 85KG) and he had to be satisfied with the silver medal. Hinku Teodora of Moldova lifted the bronze medal by lifting a total of 149 kg (67KG+82KG).
Earlier, Harshada has also broken the national record in Khelo India Games.
Harshada hails from Pune, Maharashtra. Before the World Championship, she has also broken the national record in the 2020 Khelo India Games. At that time, Harshada had set a national record in the 45 kg category by lifting 139 kg. She topped both the under-17 and under-21 categories. In the Khelo India Games 2020, Harshada won the gold medal by lifting 62 in snatch and 77 in clean-and-jerk. Harshada is improving her game day by day.