Odisha woman lifter Rima Bhoi made an impressive return to big-ticket competition, bagging one gold and one silver medal in the IWLF National Youth, Junior & Senior Weightlifting Championship, which is being held at Rainbow International School in Nagrata Bagwan, Himachal Pradesh from 7 October 2024.

A trainee of Bhubaneswar-based Odisha Weightlifting High Performance Centre, Rima won the gold in senior women 59kg Inter-State category and the silver on overall with efforts of 85kg in snatch and 113kg in clean & jerk for a total of 198kg yesterday.

A multi-tasking athlete from Bargarh district, Rima returned to the National championship after a gap of two years due to knee injury. She underwent surgery and rehabilitation before making a comeback earlier this year. Before the National championship, Rima secured one gold medal each in the Khelo India Zonal League in Bhubaneswar and Odisha State Championship in Berhampur.

A former sprinter from Government Sports Hostel, Rima bagged more than half a dozen medals in State Athletics Championships between 2017 and 2019. The 22-year-old athlete switched over to weightlifting in 2021 after being chosen by coach Kazem Panjavi during a talent scouting programme.
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PHOTO: Rima Bhoi poses with her gold and silver medal at the IWLF National Weightlifting Championship in Nagrata Bagwan, Himachal Pradesh on 9 October 2024.