37th National Games: Maharashtra weightlifter Dipali Ghursale dreams to emulate Mirabai Chanu, win international medals for India

Panjim, October 25: The weightlifting competition kicked off at the 37th National Games in Goa on Wednesday (October 25), and Dipali Ghursale, a weightlifter from Maharashtra, emerged as the champion.

She not only secured the Gold Medal but also established a new national record in the Women's 45kg snatch and overall weight category. Ghursale's remarkable performance included lifting 75kg in the snatch and 90kg in the clean and jerk, resulting in a record-breaking total weight of 165kg on her path to gold.

Chandrika Tarafdar from West Bengal claimed the Silver medal by achieving a snatch score of 67kg and a national record-breaking clean and jerk of 95kg, accumulating a total score of 162kg.

Chandrika holds the distinction of being the first Indian to earn a medal at the World Youth Weightlifting Championship, having secured the Bronze Medal in Slovakia with a total score of 129kg in September 2019.

T. Priya Priyadarshani from Telangana secured the Bronze Medal with a snatch score of 69kg and a clean and jerk score of 92kg, resulting in a final total of 161kg.

Following her Gold Medal win at the National Games, Dipali is now setting her sights on winning Gold for India at the international level. During the medal ceremony, she said, "Mirabai Chanu is my role model, and I aspire to achieve a Gold medal on the international stage, just like her."

This marked Dipali's debut at the National Games, where she clinched the top honors on her very first attempt. She enthusiastically added, "Competing in the National Games for the first time and winning the Gold medal is a moment of great joy for me."

Hailing from the Sangli district in Maharashtra, Ghursule attributed her success to the unwavering support of her family since she began weightlifting in the 8th grade. She noted, "My family has consistently stood by me in my sporting endeavors. Even during my school years, our coach provided us with top-notch training, which is why I've achieved success today."

Dipali has been competing in the Junior Weightlifting circuit for the past 13 years, securing three Gold Medals in the process. She attributes her success to her hard work, balance, and the example set by her role model, Mirabai Chanu.

When asked about her motivation to perform at her best, Ghursale shared, "I challenge myself and aim for continuous improvement every day. I maintain a positive mindset, which has been crucial to my performance thus far."

She expressed her ultimate goal to win more international gold medals for India. "Now, like Mirabai, I aspire to bring home a Gold medal for India at the international level," she signed off.