Tamil Nadu’s Dhanush Loganathan, a 17-year-old weightlifter, won two bronze medals at the World Junior Championships held in Spain. He trained under the Sports Authority of India in Aurangabad and has made great progress despite facing financial challenges. Dhanush aims to compete in the 61kg category in future competitions.
Competition Highlights
Dhanush has been a consistent performer at the junior level in recent years. He secured bronze in the snatch by lifting 107kg and another bronze with a combined lift of 231kg (snatch and clean & jerk) on Thursday.
Competing in Group B, Dhanush faced lifters with higher weights from Group A. However, some lifters underperformed, allowing him to earn his medals. “I didn’t expect to win a medal; my goal was to give my best. After my attempts, I thought I might finish sixth or seventh, but it turned out well for me,” Dhanush shared from Spain.
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Background and Training
Originally from Tiruvallur, Dhanush has been training at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) center in Aurangabad for three years. He started training under two-time Olympian Raghavan Chandrasekaran, who played a crucial role in his development. “It took me just one year to win a national-level medal after training with Chandrasekaran sir, who also supported me financially at the beginning of my career,” Dhanush explained.
Financial Struggles
Despite his success, Dhanush faces difficulties in securing sponsorship. His father, a carpenter, often takes loans to support Dhanush’s travels for national competitions. Dhanush’s sister, Yamuna, is also a weightlifter, adding to the family’s financial strain. “If a sponsor could help, it would make things easier for us,” he said.
Future Goals
Earlier this year, Dhanush moved up from the 49kg to the 55kg weight category and has shown significant improvement. He began the year by winning gold at the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) with a lift of 225kg and recently increased his total to 231kg at the World Juniors.
His next goal is to transition to the 61kg category, which is part of the Olympics. Chandrasekaran, who closely monitors Dhanush’s progress, noted that moving to a higher weight category requires careful management of body weight and performance. “It will take time for Dhanush to adjust to the 61kg category,” he advised.
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