Vegetable vendor's daughter Vaishnavi Pawar wins weightlifting gold

Vaishnavi Pawar

Vaishnavi Pawar, 14, the daughter of a vegetable vendor, won a weightlifting gold for Maharashtra at the Khelo India games here yesterday. Satara-based clinched gold by lifting a total of 114 kgs (snatch 54 kgs, clean and jerk 60 kgs).

Vaishnavi, a Class IX student at Ananta English school, told mid-day: "My father saw the potential in me and I used to assist him by lifting vegetables in gunny bags. He worked day and night for me and my sporting aspirations." Vaishnavi has been training under coach Jitendra Devkar. "This is just beginning. I have a long way to go. It's my dream to represent India at the Olympics and win medals and I'm willing to work very hard," she added.

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