Weightlifters at Bhubaneswar station with medals won at the 6th National Youth Championship held in Haryana. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 10: A team of 16 weightlifters brought cheers to the state by bagging 19 medals — nine gold, seven silver and three bronze — at the 6th National Youth Championship (under-17), which was held in Haryana from January 2 to 4.

Apart from this, the state girls’ squad emerged as the champion team with 756 points and 15 medals, secretary of the Orissa Powerlifting Association, Narayan Sahoo, said. Pramila Krisani, who won three gold medals in the 53 kg weight class, including 69kg in snatch, 87kg in clean and jerk categories, was adjudged the best lifter of the tournament.

“I had participated with the intention of giving my best performance here. However, I was overwhelmed when they announced my name for the best lifter award. I had put in a lot of hard work and it has finally paid off,” said Pramila, a Class X student of Government Girls’ High School, Unit IV.

Another participant, Saraswati Rout, also from Class X, who earned a bronze medal, said: “I was aiming for the gold. Due to extreme cold conditions in Haryana and the limited time allowed for warm up, we had a tough time. However, I am happy our state made such a great an impression at the national level.”

The other medallists include Kiran Kumari Digal, Minati Das, Swarupa Purty, Kalpana Mohanty, Achyutananda Sahu and Prasad Mohanty.

Despite this achievement and the recent success of weightlifter K. Ravi Kumar of Behrampur at the Commonwealth Games, the sport has not received adequate attention, said Hariprasad Pattnaik, vice-president, Orissa Weightlifting Association.

“Weightlifters in the state are immensely talented and have made a mark both at the national and international levels. It is a tough sport and different from recreational and glamourous games such as cricket, tennis or badminton. Unless the government plans something to promote weightlifting or other power sports, these will soon languish,” said Pattnaik.

Describing the deplorable condition of facilities provided at the government-run sports hostel, Kalinga Stadium, gold medallist Pramila said: “The equipment have worn out and have not been replaced since five years, as a result of which we often get injured during practice. Further, there is no ventilation in our weightlifting hall. Our coach Sachindranath Majhi, had written to the government regarding the sorry state of affairs at the hostel five months ago but nothing has changed.”