Weightlifter Dhanush is gearing up for his 2.0

CHENNAI: After winning three Khelo India Youth Games medals and securing four international medals, weightlifter L Dhanush is a star in the making. Hailing from Tiruvallur, the 18-year-old has been on a medal spree since 2021.

Coming from a humble background, Dhanush has been practising the sport since he was eight. Ironically, his father, V Loganathan, was also a weightlifter but couldn’t achieve significant success due to health issues. However, as a woodworker, he desires his son to achieve what he could not. “There are two sides to the coin here—marriage held my father back, and his thyroid issues took a toll on him. Despite trying to persevere, family issues weighed heavily on him,” Dhanush told DT Next.

As the youngest in the family, no one expected Dhanush to become a weightlifter and win medals. He secured a gold at the 2023 Youth and Junior Commonwealth Games, along with a silver and two bronze medals at the 2022 Asian Junior & Youth Championships.

“My father is my inspiration; he motivates me to work hard every day. He is the reason behind all my achievements,” Dhanush added.

Khelo India Success

Since 2021, Dhanush has consistently won gold at every edition of the Khelo India Youth Games. In the 2023 edition held at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Chennai, he challenged himself by competing in the 55kg category instead of his usual 49kg, defying odds to secure the gold medal.

“I still remember my first medal as an athlete, which I won in the Karur State Championships—a silver in the youth category. That same year, I earned my first gold medals, and from then on, there was no looking back. I’ve been working hard, maintaining my fitness to compete in more tournaments,” said Dhanush.

Amidst the highs, there have also been lows, which he sees as a learning curve. “Over the past few years, the few events where I haven’t won medals were the 2023 Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships. Fatigue kicked in, and I didn’t have much time to recover from the Junior Commonwealth Games,” he added.

Recently, Dhanush has upgraded himself to the under-21 category and adjusted his weight category. He currently trains at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) camp and is eagerly anticipating the Youth World Championships in August. “One of my long-term dreams is to qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics and win a medal,” he added.