Who Is Harshada Sharad Garud? First Indian To Win Gold At Junior World Weightlifting Championship

Harshada Sharad Garud became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the Junior World Weightlifting Championship held at Greece. Garud marked a total lift of 153 kgs competing in the 45 kg category. Here's what we know about the weightlifter:

Harshada Sharad Garud created history as she became the first Indian to win a gold medal at IWF Junior World Championship. The weightlifter marked a 70-kg snatch and stood at the second position in the clean and jerk section with 83 kgs behind Bektas Cansu of Turkey who won the silver medal with an overall weight of 150 kgs. Hincu Teodora-Luminita won the bronze with a total lift of 149 kgs.

In continental and World weightlifting championships, medals are awarded for snatch, clean and jerk, and total lift. However, only one medal is awarded for total lift in Olympics. Eight members from the Indian team is competing in the IWF Junior men's and women's world weightlifting championship. The team includes six women and two men.

Anjali Patel stood at the fifth position with an overall lift of 148 kg. Previously, Mirabai Chanu won the bronze in 2013 and last year, Achinta Sheuli won the silver at the Junior World Weightlifting Championship.

The Indian team comprises of Anjali Patel, Harshada Sharad Garud, Gyaneshwari Yadav, V. Rithika, Shrabani Das and Maibam Martina Devi along with T. Madhavan and Muna Nayak. Garud and Patel competed in 45 kgs while Yadav and Rithika fall in 49-kgs category. Maibam Martina Devi is a +87 kgs weightlifter while the two men fall in 61 kgs category.

Anjali Patel tied with Indonesian Najla Khoirunnisa and both of them were one kg away from Hincu who secured the third place.

Who is Harshada Sharad Garud?

Harshada Sharad Garud is an Indian weightlifter who became the first Indian to win the gold medal at the IWF Junior World Championship. The 18-year-old won against eight competitors on the first day of the championship. Garud has also won the under-17 girls' 45-kg youth title at the Khelo India Youth Games in 2020 with an overall lift of 139 kgs.