Ahmedabad, India – India’s Koyel Bar had a premonition of success, and on Tuesday, she delivered on that feeling in spectacular fashion. The 17-year-old weightlifter set a new youth world record en route to a double gold medal haul in the women’s 53kg category at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships.
Koyel lifted a total of 192kg (85kg in snatch + 107kg in clean and jerk), surpassing the previous world mark and claiming both the youth and junior titles. Her remarkable total even exceeded the 185kg lifted by her senior compatriot and silver medalist, Sneha Soren.
A Record Within Reach
Koyel, a promising talent from Howrah, West Bengal, was focused and confident ahead of the competition. “I was targeting the world record,” she told Sportstar after the event. “I normally lift 107-108kg in clean and jerk during training and the record was within my reach. I could have done 109kg as well, but missed it narrowly.”
The young lifter’s journey began in 2018, inspired by her father, who runs a chicken shop and regularly went to the gym. “My game improved in the last two years after I trained under Vijay (Sharma) sir,” Koyel said, noting her total had jumped from 147kg to 192kg during this time.
Chief national coach Vijay Sharma recalled scouting the teenager with a long-term vision. He focused on her technique, recognizing her physical strength as a key asset for a future in lifting. The support from the Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ) organization also provided scientific backing that proved beneficial in her development.
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