JAMMU, Jun 9: The 13th J&K UT Men and Women Bench Press Championship (Unequipped) 2026 was successfully organized by the Powerlifting Association of Jammu and Kashmir under the banner of the Indian Powerlifting Federation (IPF) at Cuts & Curves Fitness Club, Upper Roop Nagar, Jammu. The championship witnessed enthusiastic participation from powerlifters across the Union Territory and showcased remarkable strength, determination and competitive spirit.
In the Men’s Sub-Junior category, several athletes delivered impressive performances to secure top honours. Gold medals were won by Prince Raja, Satyam Tandon, Aryan Pandoh, Naman Kerni, Medhansh Sharma and Manik Salalia. Silver medals were claimed by Anish, Madhav Sharma and Panap Thusoo, while Piyush Bhagat and Mukund Salathia secured bronze medals in their respective weight categories.
The Men’s Junior category saw Adrian Sharma and Mohd Yahya Ali emerge as gold medal winners with outstanding performances. In the highly competitive Men’s Senior category, gold medals were bagged by Himanshu Anand, Shikhar Chandan, Gurdayal Singh, Vishushant, Mantu Gupta and Suresh Sharma. Salad Alam and Vishal Kumar secured silver medals in their respective divisions. Gurdayal Singh also excelled in the Master’s category, winning the gold medal.
In the Women’s section, Vanshika secured the gold medal in the Junior category. The Senior Women’s category witnessed strong performances from Priya Anand, Kankit Sharma, Jyoshita Basson and Rupali Salathia, all of whom clinched gold medals. Shivangi Sambyal delivered an exceptional performance and secured two gold medals, emerging as one of the standout athletes of the championship.
The championship was conducted smoothly under the supervision of officials including Gurdayal Singh, Himanshu Anand, Sarabjeet and Ravinder, who ensured fair judging and adherence to competition standards.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks presented by Rakesh Kumar, General Secretary of the Powerlifting Association of J&K and a Commonwealth Medalist. He congratulated all participants for their remarkable achievements and appreciated the efforts of athletes, coaches, officials and organizers in making the championship a grand success. He also emphasized the importance of promoting strength sports and encouraging young athletes to participate in competitive powerlifting at the national and international levels.