India welcomes all the types of sports and games. This is the reason that makes India abundant with varieties of sports.
Weightlifting was welcomed as a sport in India. Actually, this was practiced in Greek and Egyptian societies. The weightlifting showed its importance when it was conducted in 1896 Olympics in Athens.
Subsequently, in the year 1891, 28th march six more countries took participation with 7 athletes. In 1920, weightlifting acquired its place in Antwerp, Belgium Olympic Games.
Even during the World War II, nothing could stop the weightlifting from continuing as an Olympic event. In India, weightlifting is well known as lifting alone.
This is the game of strength where the participants are expected to lift weights attached to bars of steel. Weightlifting saw its first Indian in the Asian games in 1936 and the competitor was Weik Zaw. He stood 15th. Indian women from Manipur earned silver medals.
This was associated with bronze metals. Indian weightlifting federation is in New Delhi and the Indian weightlifters had a squad entry at Tehran world championship. In this Mookan, an Indian reached the 8th position and Alok Nath was 10th in the lightweight category.
The glorious journey continued of the Indian weightlifters. Karnam Malleswari acquired gold medals in the jerk and clean as well as in the snatch category. She was the first woman in India who won the world title twice.
Few others such as Manitombi Devi from CRPF in the 4th position, 5th position with Jeevan Jyothi and Susmita Laha showered successes. In fact, Karnam Malleswari and Kunjurani Devi were ranked as world first weightlifters.
The fame of Indian weightlifting took a turn towards the commonwealth games and came up with a record of silver medal for the category called jerk. Karunakaran also came up with a gold medal and made records with gold medals at a stretch within 1978 to 1981.
Weightlifting is also taken as a profession, but for this one has to prepare him or herself from the younger days as strong body and fitness are the significant criteria for reaching the field. However, an appropriate trainer is required to prepare for participation at international levels.
There is a must of well-equipped institutes for training in weightlifting in India so that the young talents are encouraged. This is the ideal ways to have more weightlifters to represent India in weightlifting in the international events.
There are many regions in Indian towards the north where weightlifting is learnt even as a hobby, but proper coaches and lack of training is keeping them at a set back.
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