Odisha girl Preetismita Bhoi stole the show on the opening day of the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships, bagging the first gold medal for India in the youth women 44kg weight category with three new championship records at Naranpura Sports Complex in Ahmedabad, Gujarat today.

Dhenkanal girl Preetismita, who trains at the Dhenkanal Sub-Centre of Odisha Weightlifting HPC, clinched the gold medal, lifting 63kg in snatch, 87kg in clean & jerk for a total of 150kg. 

According to Odisha Weightlifting Association (OWLA) president Chitta Ranjan Swain, this was the third international medal for Preetismita, who earlier one gold with world record at the Youth World Championship 2024 in Lima, Peru, where she made her international debut, and one silver at the Asian Youth Championship 2024 in Doha, Qatar.

Preetismita set the new youth world record in Lima with a lift of 76kg in clean & jerk. She also has in her name seven National medals, including four silver and three bronze.

According to her coach Gopal Krushna Das, the Commonwealth gold carried added significance as Preetismita returned to competition after a break of one year due to academic obligations.

“Preeti is also good in academics and secured first class in her 10th Board examination this year. She is a student of Kendriya Vidyalay, Dhenkanal and maintains a nice balance between academics and sports,’’ said Das, who is also the secretary of Odisha Weightlifting Association.
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PHOTO: Odisha girl Preetismita Bhoi poses with her gold medal at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Ahmedabad on 25 August 2025.