Yashtika powerlifter: Teen gold medallist powerlifter dies while practicing in the gym: Here’s what happened |

A female powerlifter died in the gym after a 270kg rod fell on her neck during practice. The 17 year old hailed from Rajasthan’s Bikaner district.
The neck of the gold medallist player broke when the 270 kg rod fell on her on Tuesday, Naya Shahar SHO Vikram Tiwari told news agency PTI. She was working out under the supervision of her trainer, who also suffered minor injuries.
“Yashtika was lifting weights at the gym, Power Headquarters, under her trainer’s supervision. During the attempt, she suddenly lost balance, and the bar came crashing down on her neck. Fellow gym members quickly rushed to remove the weight, while her coach tried CPR, but she showed no signs of recovery,” SHO Tiwari told the media.
The video captures Yashtika attempting to lift the weight. This was reportedly her second attempt, with her first being successful. However, this time, she lost control and fell backward and during this time she pushed her coach as well. The entire weight shifted onto her neck, and moments later she collapsed.
The video of the gruesome incident is going viral over social media. People have expressed their sorrows over the death of the young athlete. Yashtika had won a gold medal in the National Bench Press Championship in Goa in the Sub Junior 84kg and above category.
Powerlifting is an intense strength sport that requires proper technique, discipline, and safety measures to prevent injuries.
Poor technique, especially in squats, deadlifts, and bench presses, can lead to serious injuries in the lower back, shoulders, and knees. If the body is not properly balanced while lifting the weights, it can increase the strain on the muscles and can even cause death. Wearing lifting belts, knee sleeves, wrist wraps, and proper footwear enhances stability and reduces injury risk. In this case, Yashtika seems to have lost balance when the rod was on the back of her head. This was her regular practice session in the gym when the incident happened and her trainer and coach also could not do much to save her as the incident happened in a matter of a few seconds.