Juhitha bags gold at national weightlifting championship

Rajamahendravaram: Showcasing outstanding strength and determination, C Juhitha Guna, a 9th class student of Lalacheruvu Municipal High School, Rajamahendravaram, clinched the gold medal at the 68th National School Games Federation Weightlifting Championship held in Imphal, Manipur on Thursday. Juhitha secured first place in the Under-17 category, outperforming Heikham Olympia from Manipur and R Sandhya from Tamil Nadu, who finished second and third, respectively. She lifted 75 kg in snatch and 93 kg in clean and jerk, totalling 168 kg to claim the top spot on the podium.

This victory adds to her impressive record. In August–September last year, Juhitha bagged double gold medals in both sub-junior and junior categories (71 kg weight class) at the Andhra Pradesh Inter-District Weightlifting Championship held in Anakapalli. She also earned a silver medal at the national-level weightlifting championship held in Himachal Pradesh in October 2024.

Juhitha credited her success to her coach Yalla Bhaskar Rao, and the unwavering support of her parents Devi Prasad and Parvathi Varalakshmi. Her mother serves in the Sachivalayam police department, while her father works for a private company. Expressing her ambition, Juhitha stated that she aims to represent India at the World Youth Weightlifting Championship soon.

The school community is celebrating her achievement with pride. Principal Ankam Malleswara Rao, physical education teacher Venkateswara Rao, staff members, SMC Chairman Kandi Konda Ramesh, and others extended their heartfelt congratulations. They expressed confidence that Juhitha would continue to excel and bring international glory to the nation by hoisting the Tricolour on global stages.