Overview
- Delhi Police identified the athlete as W/Ct. Sonika Yadav and said she totaled 350 kg to finish third in the 84+ kg class at the All India Police Weightlifting Cluster in Amravati on October 17.
- Her attempts included a 125 kg squat, 80 kg bench press and a 145 kg deadlift, which she opted for over 135 kg to strengthen her medal chances.
- She concealed her pregnancy during the event with loose clothing, and the crowd learned she was seven months along only after her final lift.
- Yadav says she trained throughout pregnancy with regular gynecological checks and competed with medical clearance, also seeking technique advice from international lifter Lucy Martins.
- As the clip went viral, online reaction ranged from admiration to concerns about heavy lifting late in pregnancy, with calls for clearer policies but no official review reported.