KIYG 2025: Harsabardhan and Asmita Dhone set new national youth records in weightlifting

The opening day of weightlifting at the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2025 in Bihar witnessed a flurry of record-breaking performances, with Odisha’s Harsabardhan Sahu and Maharashtra’s Asmita Dhone setting new national youth benchmarks in their respective categories.

Hailing from Ganjam, 15-year-old Harsabardhan Sahu delivered a sensational performance in the boys' 49kg category, rewriting two national youth records. After an 88kg snatch, he lifted 115kg in clean and jerk, registering 203kg, surpassing the previous marks held by Jharkhand’s Babulal Hembrom.

In the girls’ 49kg category, Asmita Dhone showcased her strength in the clean and jerk segment, lifting 91kg, 95kg, and 97kg in successive attempts. Though Uttar Pradesh’s Manasi Chamunda briefly held the national youth total record after a 75kg snatch and a 163kg overall effort, Asmita’s later lifts pushed the total record further with each attempt, setting new marks for both clean and jerk and total.

Odisha also celebrated a dominant gold-medal performance from Jyoshna Sabar in the girls' 40kg category. The 16-year-old, a multiple medallist at the World Youth Championships and reigning Asian Champion, lived up to expectations.

With these victories, Maharashtra strengthened their lead on the overall medal tally, boosted not just by Dhone’s gold but also wins from weightlifter Akanksha Kishore Vyavahare and table tennis player Kavya Bhatt in girls’ singles. As of Saturday, Maharashtra had accumulated 27 gold, 21 silver, and 24 bronze medals — nearly double the gold haul of their closest competitors, Karnataka.

Punjab climbed into fifth place after winning gold in skeet shooting through Harazeez Singh Atwal and Risham Kaur Guron. With six gold medals, Punjab now matches Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Manipur in the gold count, edging ahead based on silver medals.