Odisha will field a strong squad, featuring many internationals, in the IWLF Youth, Junior & Senior National Weightlifting Championship, scheduled to be held at Ponjesly College of Engineering in Nagercoil (Tamil Nadu) from 28 December 2022 to 7 January 2023.
But no clear information regarding the total number of Odisha competitors has been revealed by Odisha Weightlifting Association (OWL) or the Department of Sports & Youth Services (DSYS). According to reliables sources, around 50 lifters would represent the State in the ensuing National championship. Some among them would represent their employers Railways.
Most of the lifters have been selected from Ganjam district. Similarly, most of the top-notch Odisha lifters have been honing their skills at the Odisha Weightlifting High Performance Centre at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar. Odisha squad for the National championships, also includes a number of coaches and support staff.
ODISHA SQUAD:
Youth Boys (9): 49kg: Harshabardan/Hrudananada Sahu (Ganjam); 55kg: Manoj Madhi (Khurda), Ramachandra Madkami (Ganjam); 61kg: Sadananda Bariha, Prafulla Khada (both Khurda); 67kg: Deepak Kumar Pradhan (Ganjam); 73kg: Hrudananda Das (Dhenkanal); 81kg: Balaram Senapati (Ganjam), 89kg: Roshan Kumar Sethi (Ganjam).
Youth Girls (10): 40kg: Jyoshna Sabar (Ganjam), Pritee Smitta Bhoi (Dhenkanal); 45kg: Mina Singh, Lalita Batra (both Khurda); 49kg: Mina Santa-B (Khurda); 55kg: Mina Santa-A (Khurda), Tulasi Sahu (Ganjam); 59kg: Sumitra Mallick, Bidusmita Mallick/Bhoi (both Khurda); 64kg: Tiki Mohini Mallick (Ganjam).
Junior Men (8): 55kg: Kumbeswar Mallik (Dhenkanal); 61kg: Sadananda Baria (Khurda), Kushna Chandra Nayak (Ganajm); 73kg: Kuldeep Sahu (Ganjam), Hrudananda Das (Dhenkanal); 96kg: Puneet Chandra Sahu (Khurda); 109kg: Jagannath Gouda (Ganjam); +109kg: Amarjit Moharana (Kendrapada).
Junior Women (10): 49kg: Sandhyarani Nayak, Rinki Nayak (both Ganjam); 55kg: Mina Santa-A (Khurda); 59kg: Rima Bhoi, Aprajita Bhuyan (both Khurda); 64kg: Sangeeta Padhi (Ganjam), Debaki Khilla (Khurda); 71kg: Monali Sahoo (Khurda); 81kg: Swetalina Nayak (Khurda); 87kg: Abhishikta Kuduluri (Khurda).
Men (10): 55kg: Kumbeswar Mallik (Dhenkanal); 61kg: Rajendra Muduli, Muna Nayak (both Ganjam); 67kg: Sachin Rauta (Ganjam); 73kg: Monaj Kumar Sahu, Mihir Kanta Sethi (both Ganjam); 81kg: Kanhu Charan Sahu (Ganjam); 89kg: Vivek Swamy, Anil Kumar Sahu (both Ganjam); 96kg: Suresh Yadav (Ganjam).
Women (12): 49kg: Jhilli Dalabehera (Railways), Sandhyarani Nayak, Rinky Nayak (both Ganjam); 55kg: Pramila Krisani (Ganjam), Sneha Soren (Mayurbhanja); 59kg: Rima Bhoi, Moti Jani (both Khurda). 64kg: Sangeeta Padhi (Ganjam), Debaki Khillo (Khurda); 71kg: Monali Sahoo (Khurda); 81kg: Swetalina Nayak (Khurda); Abhishikta Kaduluri (Khurda).
Coaches: K Ravi Kumar (HPC), Jangya Narayan Nanda (HPC), P Dharma Rao (Sports Hostel, Bhubaneswar), Katila Venkatalakshmi (HPC), Zolton Farkas ((HPC), Hisam (UPC), Chandra Sekhar Sahu (Utkal Karate School), Lucky Rani Patra (KIIT). Manager: Ramesh Chandra Padhi (Ganjam). Physio: Sudip Banerjee (HPC), Swikriti Lahoty (HPC).
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PHOTO: Lifters of Odisha Weightlifting HPC pose with officials in Bhubaneswar on 27 December 2022 before leaving for the National Weightlifting Championships.