Arunachal squad marks major breakthrough at national powerlifting meet

A defining moment for Arunachal Pradesh shaped this year’s IPF Powerlifting Nationals, where the state combined a substantial medal haul with a historic step in officiating, reinforcing its rising presence in Indian powerlifting.

The most notable achievement came from outside the competition arena. Chief Coach Kago Harie became the first official from Arunachal Pradesh to judge at an IPF national championship, a milestone regarded as a significant advancement for the state’s sporting ecosystem.

Across three days of competition from 17–19 November, Team Arunachal delivered one of its strongest collective performances in senior, junior, and sub-junior categories.

Senior competitors set a dominant tone. Rige Kaye led from the front with a gold in the 74 kg Raw Deadlift along with the Senior Deadlift Strongman title. Damnia Tamin added two more golds in the 93 kg Raw and Equipped Bench Press, while Meli Singhi Kino impressed in the 80 kg division by winning Bench Press and both Strongwoman events, supported by a silver in Full Powerlifting. In the lighter categories, Tedo Kino struck gold in the 59 kg Bench Press, and Chera Yana took command of the 84 kg field to secure Full Powerlifting gold and the Power Woman title.

The medal flow continued with Taje Mosu taking double gold in the 105 kg group, while Meta Linggi delivered one of the standout senior performances by sweeping Full Powerlifting, Deadlift, and Bench Press in the 66 kg category and earning the Power Man title. Sanjeev Ragon replicated a similar triple-gold finish in the 93 kg class. Umesh Barman lifted his way to Full Powerlifting gold in the 74 kg division, posting a 615 kg SBD total and capturing the Senior Strongman Trophy. The senior results were completed by Pabin Murtem’s Bench Press gold in the 74 kg group and Tadar Tadir’s silver in the 59 kg Bench Press.

The junior and sub-junior athletes added further depth to the team’s success. Keji Nyime swept all three events in the 60 kg juniors, while Tarh Rinia delivered one of the most commanding junior campaigns with triple gold and Strongwoman titles across every segment.

Honya Ropuk secured gold in Bench and Deadlift in the 66 kg juniors and picked up the Junior Strongman title in Bench Press. Charu Diwal added Full Powerlifting gold, and sub-junior athlete Koji Lollen dominated the 66 kg class by winning all three events along with the corresponding Strongman trophies.

Additional junior results saw Tornam Pertin finish with three silvers across SBD, Bench, and Deadlift, while Bidiya Munglang swept SBD, Bench, and Deadlift with triple gold. The medal tally concluded with Gopal Thapa collecting a bronze in SBD and silvers in Deadlift and Bench.

The Arunachal Powerlifting Association, recognised by the Arunachal Olympic Association, fielded the contingent. With a record of strong performances and Harie’s landmark officiating role, Arunachal Pradesh strengthened both its competitive and administrative footprint at the national level.