HEC wins Men & Women National Weightlifting Championships 2026; Punjab remains Runners-up

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Jul, 2026) The Higher education Commission (HEC) comprehensively dominated the National Weightlifting Championships 2026, clinching both the men’s and women’s titles, while Punjab secured the runners-up trophy. The five-day premier sports event, which concluded at the National Coaching Centre in Lahore, was organized by the Interim Committee of the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWLF) with the official approval and support of the Pakistan Sports board (PSB).

The absolute highlight of the championship was a sensational record-breaking performance by 17-year-old Furqan Ahmad, representing Punjab in the 88 kg bodyweight category. The young prodigy shattered previous national benchmarks by lifting 145 kg in the Snatch and 180 kg in the Clean & Jerk, registering a staggering total of 325 kg to eclipse his previous personal best of 315 kg set at the 35th National Championship in Karachi in 2025. Adding to Punjab's stellar youth run, under-17 weightlifter Haider Shakaib, a former Far East Cup silver medalist, comfortably won the 94 kg bodyweight category with a total lift of 287 kg. Both athletes have been training under the tutelage of highly decorated Commonwealth and South Asian Games champions, Shujauddin Malik and Sajjad Amin Malik.

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In a historic milestone for Balochistan, under-17 weightlifter Ameer Hamza secured the province's maiden national gold medal by dominating the 110 kg weight category. Hamza, who lifted a total of 270 kg, carries forward a rich athletic lineage as the son of former international weightlifter and national champion Alam Din. Meanwhile, the women’s division saw absolute dominance by HEC, with Maham Qasim, Sahar Waeen, Aqsa Bashir, Aisha Jahangir, Zoha Javed, and Fiza Khokhar capturing gold medals in their respective categories, alongside Punjab’s Eman Fatimah and Sumaika Butt who also secured top podium finishes.

Earlier, the championship commenced with a significant focus on athlete welfare, dedicating its entire first day to a national seminar on "doping and its consequences". Dr. Sohail Saleem, CEO of the Pakistan Anti-doping Board, delivered the keynote address alongside PWLF Interim Committee Member Col Dr. Hafiz Zafar, strongly urging the young competitors to avoid commercial supplements and multivitamins due to contamination risks, advising them instead to rely strictly on natural diets to protect their health and sporting careers.