Shillong : Meghalaya athlete Sandeep Sharma has brought immense pride to India by winning the Gold Medal in the 24kg Snatch Half Marathon event at the Kettlebell World Championship 2026, held in Chisinau, Moldova, from June 4 to 7.
Representing India on the global stage, Sharma competed in the 74kg to 87kg+ bodyweight category and delivered an outstanding performance, completing an impressive 300 repetitions in 30 minutes. The feat shattered his previous personal best of 228 repetitions, which he had achieved during the World Championship in Italy last year.
The Kettlebell Snatch Half Marathon is regarded as one of the toughest disciplines in kettlebell sport, demanding extraordinary endurance, strength and mental resilience as athletes must continuously lift the kettlebell for 30 minutes without placing it on the ground.
The victory marks a historic achievement for Sharma, who secured his first-ever gold medal at the World Championships. It also adds to his growing list of international accomplishments, making it his third medal at the prestigious competition.
Earlier, Sharma won bronze medals at the Kettlebell World Championships held in Hungary in 2023 and Poland in 2024. In 2025, he narrowly missed a podium finish after securing fourth place in Italy.
This year’s championship witnessed participation from athletes representing 27 countries, making Sharma’s gold-medal-winning performance an even more remarkable accomplishment.
His success has not only brought international recognition to Meghalaya but has also added another proud chapter to India’s achievements in global sports.
With this breakthrough victory, Sandeep Sharma has firmly established himself among the world’s top kettlebell athletes and emerged as an inspiration for aspiring sportspersons across Meghalaya and the country.