17 year-old female weight lifter dies after 595 fell on her neck & crushes her in Gym accident
A champion 17-year-old powerlifter has died after a barbell fell on her neck while she was training in India, per multiple local reports.
On Tuesday, Feb. 18, Yashtika Acharya — who was a gold medalist powerlifter in the Junior National Games — was at a gym in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district when the 595-lbs (270 kg) apparatus broke her neck during practice, reported the Times of India, the Hindustan Times and The Indian Express.
The accident occurred while the teenager’s trainer was supervising her weight-lifting session, the Times of India added, citing Naya Shahar Station House Officer (SHO), Vikram Tiwari.
Acharya was rushed to hospital, where she was later declared dead, per The Indian Express, again citing local police officer Tiwari.
The outlet added that the trainer also suffered minor injuries in the accident.
Yashtika Acharya Powerlifter Snaps Neck
Yashtika Acharya. Jam Press
Acharya’s body was handed over to her family on Wednesday following a post-mortem, according to The Indian Express. Her family had not filed a complaint regarding the incident, added The Hindustan Times.
“Yashtika was lifting weights at the gym, Power Headquarters, under her trainer’s supervision,” Tiwari told reporters, reported the Times of India, citing news agency the Press Trust of India (PTI).
“During the attempt, she suddenly lost balance, and the bar came crashing down on her neck,” the officer added. “Fellow gym members quickly rushed to remove the weight, while her coach tried CPR, but she showed no signs of recovery.”
The publication reported that the late teenager had won a gold medal in the National Bench Press Championship in Goa in the Sub Junior 84kg (around 185lbs.) and above category.
Yashtika Acharya Powerlifter Snaps Neck
Yashtika Acharya. Jam Press
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Powerlifting is a form of competitive weightlifting, where contestants have three attempts at maximum weight for three types of lift — squat, bench press, and deadlift — per Strong Fitness magazine.
The sport “follows a periodized strength training approach,” with the body being “exposed to different stressors over a period of time, and these periods are organized appropriately to develop a training plan within each workout and strength cycle ranging from 4-6 weeks at a time,” the publication added.
The Chief Minister’s Office Government of Rajasthan did not immediately reply to PEOPLE’s request for information, while Rajasthan Police headquarters was unable to receive messages.
