India's Jhilli Dalabehera has won the bronze medal at the 2018 IWF Junior World Weightlifting Championships. The event was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Jhilli is only the second woman weightlifter to achieve this feat in the Junior World Championships. The first one to do was S Mirabai Chanu in 2013
Jhilli lifted 167 kg (75 kg + 92 kg) in 48 kg category to finish third on the podium.
She is Odisha’s rising star. This 19-year-old young lifter has been shining in the junior circuits and slowly making a mark for herself. She grabbed the spotlight when she shattered three state records on her way to the Gold medal at the 31st Women State Weightlifting Championships, held in Behrampur in 2015.
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The Odisha-born weightlifter is a gem at the national level. She won two gold and a silver medal at the 11th Sub-Junior National Weightlifting Championships. She again rose to top at the Junior Women National Weightlifting Championship.
In April, 2016, Jhilli had won a silver medal in the women 48 kg category in the Asian Junior Weightlifting Championships at Urgencg, Uzbekistan. She won a silver medal in the 48 kg junior weight category at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships held in Australia. Again, after two years later at Gold Coast, she clinched the gold.
Having achieved so much at a young age, Jhilli, an inmate of Bhubaneswar Sports Hostel, was praised by Ofisha Sports and Youth Services Department, which took to Twitter and congratulated the young girl:
#Odisha girl Jhilli Dalabehera among two Indian lifters to be selected for Junior World Championship to be held at Tashkent, Uzbekistan from July 7. Congratulations Jhilli #Odisha2018 pic.twitter.com/2DGFCQjQlR
— Odisha Sports (@sports_odisha) June 30, 2018
Odiya women shining in sports
Another Odisha girl, shuttler Rutuparna Panda, is emerging on top with her stellar performance as she has been selected for Asian Games 2018. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik tweeted, congratulating her for being the first Odia woman representing India in Badminton.
Congratulated Rutuparna Panda on her selection for @asiangames2018. She will be the first Odia woman to represent India in badminton at #AsianGames. #Odisha as an emergent hub for badminton surely gets a fillip. Best of luck Rutuparna #OdishaForIndia pic.twitter.com/WbTh2DZBC5
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) June 30, 2018
Feature Image Credit: Indiatimes