India had a day to remember when the World Youth Championships began at Videna national sports centre in Lima, Peru. Colombia also started well, winning two of the four medal events.
None of India’s five athletes in action on a busy opening day had ever competed internationally. Four of the debutants won medals and Preetismita Bhoi claimed a clean and jerk youth world record of 76kg on the way to victory in the women’s 40kg. The only Indian lifter off the podium had a sweep of fourth places and missed a medal by 1kg.
Preetismita Bhoi (IND)
Vijay Sharma, India’s head coach who stayed at home to guide Tokyo medallist Mirabai Chanu through her preparations for the Paris Olympic Games, had set a target of seven or eight medals for his team of newcomers. They are well on target to exceed that, with six more athletes in action over the next three days.
Bhoi and Jyoshna Sabar, both aged 15, finished 1-2 ahead of Fatma Kolcak from Turkey. While those two were bringing the 40kg session to its conclusion, their team-mate Babulal Hembrom was on his way to third place at 49kg on the men’s platform a few metres away.
Freddy Bustillo (COL)
Freddy Bustillo from Colombia won, ahead of Mohammed Al Ojaian from Saudi Arabia and Hembrom.
India’s fourth medallist was 14-year-old Payal in the women’s 45kg. She finished second behind the Colombian Lawren Estrada, who claimed her second world title with a six-from-six performance. Alexandra Lopez from Mexico was third.
Lawren Estrada (COL)
“They were a little nervous because it was their first international competition,” said Alakesh Baruah, India’s head coach at this event. “They did very well and showed that things are happening for India thanks to our coach Vijay Sharma and our federation president (Sahdev Yadav).”
Bhoi made five good lifts for 57-76-133, finishing within 2kg of the youth world standard on total. Sabar made 56-69-125 and Kolcak 55-65-120.
Oriannis Pirona from Venezuela became the second youngest medallist in international weightlifting when, after failing with all three snatch attempts, she was third in clean and jerk on 69kg, aged 12 years 237 days. The other athlete who bombed out in snatch, Sevval Ince from Turkey, won clean and jerk silver on 70kg.
The youngest ever medallist is Emily Ibanez Guerrero, who was third for Canada at 55kg in last year’s World Youths, aged 12 years 90 days. She is in the process of switching nationality.
Pan American youth champion Bustillo made all six lifts in his 87-109-196, claiming the 49kg gold with his final attempt. Al Ojaian, who took up weightlifting when he saw his cousin compete, had one snatch failure in his 87-108-195, and Hembrom made 86-107-193. The youngest athlete in the session, 14-year-old Christian Di Maria from Italy, took snatch bronze.
Bulgaria’s Nino Simeonov was unlucky in the men’s 55kg. He won snatch gold on 101kg but injured his left thigh on his final attempt, withdrew from the competition and had to go to hospital.
Ramazan Yilmaz (TUR)
Ramazan Yilmaz from Turkey was a clear winner after Simeonov’s injury. Yilmaz made all six lifts for 99-129-228 to deny Colombia a third victory, finishing 6kg ahead of Samuel Andrade on 98-124-222. Lissandro Rivaldo from Venezuela was third, 1kg ahead of India’s A Maharajan on 95-121-216.
This is the first IWF Championships with two platforms and simultaneous A Groups in the main area, although there were multiple platforms at World Championships more than 20 years ago – one for A Groups and one for other sessions.
By Brian Oliver
Photos by Bob Willingham
