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National Games

"Bulking Up?" "Not a problem," says Bindyarani Devi after gold at National Games

CWG silver medallist Bindyarani Devi clinched the gold medal at the ongoing National Games 2022 in the 59kg category.

Bindyarani Devi Weightlifting Commonwealth Games
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Bindyarani Devi with her Commonwealth Games silver (Source: Reuters)

By

Abhijit Nair

Updated: 1 Oct 2022 1:05 PM GMT

Gandhinagar: Bindyarani Devi shot to fame when she clinched an unexpected silver medal for India at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games in women's 55kg weightlifting a couple of months ago.

The 23-year-old went one better during the ongoing National Games here winning a gold medal, albeit in a different category.

As the weightlifting programme for the 2024 Paris Olympics witnessed a complete overhaul, Bindyarani's weight category of 55kg was discarded. The Manipuri lass was hence forced to bulk up to 59kg.

While a drastic change in weight division like this would have threatened to put any athlete off track, it was not a big deal for Bindyarani Devi, who already seems to be settling in her new category.

"No, I did not face any problems in bulking up and training in 59kg," she told The Bridge after winning the gold medal.

"I had to make a few dietary changes, but it was all good," she added.

The bronze medal in 59kg at the 2022 Commonwealth Games went at a total lift of 197kg. Bindyarani, meanwhile, won the gold medal today at 194kg with just a month and a half of training.


Competing alongside the Commonwealth medallist in the 59kg today was a dear friend Popy Hazarika.

Hazarika was leading the field after the snatch round, but a brilliant 111kg from Bindyarani in clean and jerk meant that the Assam girl had to settle for silver.

"Popy and I are good friends. It was good to compete with her in 59kg today and even defeat her," Bindyarani joked.

The women's 59kg at the National Games was indeed a tight affair, with the difference between gold and bronze being just 2kgs.

While Bindyarani won the gold with a lift of 194kg, Popy Hazarika took home the silver at 193kg, and Punjab's Davinder Kaur settled for bronze at 192kg.

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