Commonwealth Champion Ajaya Babu Finishes 16th at World Weightlifting Championships

Indian weightlifter Ajaya Babu Valluri, the Commonwealth champion, finished 16th in the men’s 79kg category at the World Weightlifting Championships, held here on Monday.

The 20-year-old lifted a total of 323kg—146kg in snatch and 177kg in clean and jerk—placing him 16th among 39 competitors. This performance fell short of his gold medal-winning total of 335kg (152kg snatch + 183kg clean and jerk) at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Ahmedabad in August.

Despite failing to match his previous feats, Ajaya had already secured qualification for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow through his earlier victory.

India’s showing at the World Championships came after Mirabai Chanu’s notable silver medal in the 48kg category, with other lifters struggling to make a mark on the global stage.

Ajaya’s experience at the Worlds is expected to bolster his preparations ahead of future international events.