Raja Muthupandi Clinches Silver in Weightlifting

India added another medal to its tally in weightlifting as Raja Muthupandi produced an impressive performance in the men’s 65kg category. Muthupandi lifted a combined 286kg across the snatch and clean and jerk events to secure the silver medal. Malaysia’s Aniq Bin Kasdan Muhammad topped the competition with a total of 299kg to claim gold, while Papua New Guinea’s Morea Baru finished with the bronze. Muthupandi’s medal further strengthened India’s showing in weightlifting after earlier podium finishes in the competition.

Muthupandi first attracted attention at the youth level more than a decade ago and went on to establish himself as a consistent performer in domestic competitions. His career suffered a major setback following a leg injury in 2019, which kept him away from weightlifting for nearly two years. He returned to competition in 2021 and gradually regained his form, before setting a national record in 2024 and delivering strong performances at international events. His latest silver medal has further boosted his credentials as India looks ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.