Shillong, June 8: Meghalaya athlete Sandeep Sharma created history by winning a gold medal for India at the Kettlebell World Championship 2026 held in Chisinau, Moldova, from June 4 to 7.
Competing in the 24kg Snatch Half Marathon event in the 74kg to 87kg+ bodyweight category, Sharma produced a remarkable performance, completing 300 repetitions in 30 minutes to secure the top spot on the podium.
The achievement marked a major breakthrough for the Meghalaya athlete, who improved significantly on his previous personal best of 228 repetitions, recorded at the World Championship in Italy last year.
The Kettlebell Snatch Half Marathon is regarded as one of the most physically demanding disciplines in kettlebell sport, requiring competitors to continuously lift a kettlebell for 30 minutes without setting it down.
The triumph also represents the biggest achievement of Sharma’s international career to date. It is his first World Championship gold medal and his third overall medal at the prestigious competition. Sharma had earlier won bronze medals at the World Championships in Hungary in 2023 and Poland in 2024, establishing himself as one of India’s leading kettlebell athletes. He came close to another podium finish in 2025, narrowly missing out after finishing fourth in Italy.
This year’s championship attracted participants from 27 countries, making Sharma’s victory a significant achievement for both India and Meghalaya on the global stage.
