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Gyaneshwari Yadav won CWG silver despite menstrual pain, eyes Asian Games. Her father’s dream fuels her success.
Gyaneshwari Yadav celebrates after wining the silver medal in the women 53 kilogram weightlifting during the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow (Picture credit: AP)
Commonwealth Games silver medallist Gyaneshwari Yadav has said that she kept telling herself to stay focused during her event, even as she was battling menstrual pain, eventually going on to win a silver in Glasgow.
Gyaneshwari said that her next target is the Asian Games, with around a month left to prepare for the continental event.
Reflecting on her journey, Gyaneshwari said that she drew strength from years of struggle and remained driven by her father’s dream of bringing glory to the country through sport.
“I had trained under such conditions before, but had never competed on the first day of my periods. I kept telling myself to stay focused and my family and coaches also kept assuring me that everything would be fine,” Gyaneshwari said while speaking to PTI.
Gyaneshwari said that she competed with a calm mindset, adding that completing her opening lift gave her the confidence to perform better.
“I told myself that the pain was nothing compared to my goal and that motivated me to clear all my lifts,” Gyaneshwari said.
The CWG silver medallist added that her achievement was the result of years of perseverance and the collective support of her family, coaches and the people of Rajnandgaon.
“There is a lot of struggle behind every success. My parents struggled alongside me. I still remember my father pushing me on his bicycle to the gym every day. He had once told me that he could never make it to the national or international stage, but wanted me to achieve that dream and bring glory to the country,” Gyaneshwari said.
Earlier, the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh announced a cash reward of Rs 30 lakh for Gyaneshwari and approved her out-of-turn promotion to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police.
August 03, 2026, 21:15 IST
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