Bindyarani Devi Clinches Bronze for India at IWF World Cup 2024

Indian weightlifter Bindyarani Devi secured a bronze medal at the IWF World Cup 2024 held in Phuket, Thailand. Devi competed in the non-Olympic women’s 55kg category, lifting a total of 196kg (83kg snatch + 113kg clean and jerk) to finish third overall. While this fell short of her silver medal-winning performance of 203kg at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, it demonstrates her continued strength on the international stage.

The 25-year-old’s journey wasn’t without its challenges. Her initial attempt at 83kg in the snatch category proved unsuccessful. However, she regrouped and successfully lifted the weight on her second attempt. Her attempt to increase the weight to 86kg unfortunately fell short.

Moving into the clean and jerk section, Devi displayed her power, successfully lifting 110kg in her first attempt and following it up with a successful 113kg lift in her second. Although she aimed to push further with a final attempt of 119kg, it wasn’t meant to be.

Despite not achieving a new personal best in the total lift, Bindyarani Devi’s performance secured her not only the bronze medal in the overall category but also a silver medal in the clean and jerk category itself. It’s important to note that at the IWF World Cup, World Championships, and continental championships, medals are awarded for each individual lift (snatch, clean and jerk) as well as the total combined weight.

While Devi’s sights are undoubtedly set on the Paris Olympics, her current ranking presents a hurdle. She currently sits at 29th place in the Olympic Qualification Ranking for the women’s 59kg category. Only the top 10 ranked eligible lifters in the OQR for each weight category will secure a quota for the upcoming Games. However, with her determination and talent, Bindyarani Devi has the potential to improve her ranking and fight for a spot in Paris.