Shillong, Jun8: Meghalaya’s strength athlete Sandeep Sharma has scripted history for India by clinching gold in the 24kg Snatch Half Marathon at the Kettlebell World Championship 2026 held in Chisinau, Moldova, from June 4 to 7.
Competing against lifters from 27 countries, Sharma dominated the 74kg to 87kg+ bodyweight category. In an event that tests both endurance and mental grit, athletes must lift a 24kg kettlebell continuously for 30 minutes without setting it down. Sharma powered through 300 repetitions to take the top spot, shattering his own personal best of 228 reps set in Italy last year.
The feat marks Sharma’s first World Championship gold and his third medal overall at the global meet. He had earlier bagged bronze in Hungary in 2023 and Poland in 2024, before finishing fourth in Italy in 2025, just shy of the podium.
The Kettlebell Snatch Half Marathon is regarded as one of the sport’s most grueling disciplines, demanding unbroken lifting for the full half-hour.
Sharma’s performance has been hailed as a proud moment for Meghalaya and for Indian kettlebell sport on the world stage.
With this win, the Shillong-based athlete has added a new chapter to his growing international record, bringing home gold for India from one of the toughest tests of strength and stamina.
