With an impressive heave of 260 kg (145 kg in the clean and jerk and 115 kg in the snatch), 17-year-old Ruhshaad Daroga lifted the silver medal in the 94 kg category at the 41st National Junior Weightlifting Championship (Under 20) held at the Andheri Sports Complex in Bombay in September 2004.
Participating in his second nationals, the H. R. College student drew cheers from the crowd when he went straightaway for an additional 10 kg on his third attempt in his bid to match gold medallist Pradeep Singh’s lift in the clean and jerk. "Ruhshaad has a very good competitive spirit,” says father and coach Neville. "This weight was 12.5 kg beyond what he had lifted in practice. I was amazed and thrilled that he managed to rise from the squat and raise the bar over his head, but could not hold it. His progress has been tremendous.” Last year Ruhshaad had lifted 220 kg on his debut at the nationals, and within a year’s time he has lifted an additional 40 kg, observes his proud mother Navaz. Pradeep Singh, who is an army man representing Madhya Pradesh, lifted the gold with a total of 282.5 kg (155 kg in the clean and jerk and 127.5 kg in the snatch). The bronze medallist, Premjit Singh of Punjab, was substantially behind with 137 kg in the clean and jerk and 110 kg in the snatch.
Daroga: silver lift at junior nationals
"For years no weightlifter from Bombay has figured on the national circuit,” Suresh Kapare, Maharashtra Weightlifting Association secretary, told Mumbai Newsline, reported in that paper’s edition of September 21 under the headline "Parsi family boosts dying sport.” Neville rues the lack of facilities and support for training, a small vyayamshala (gymnasium) at Belassis Road, Bombay Central being the place where he coaches select youngsters.
The ‘first family’ of Parsi weightlifters, the Darogas have five members who have done competitive weightlifting — siblings Rusi, Vispy and Neville, and the second generation of Zubin and Ruhshaad (see "Like fathers, like sons,” Sports, Parsiana, February 2001).
Ruhshaad has recently been trained by Geive Katrak, a former national champion who was earlier training the Central Railway team and now trains the Greater Bombay police team, says Neville. "After we (Vispy and Neville who have been national champions several times) stopped, there has hardly been any representation from Bombay at the nationals,” remarks Neville. Whatever representation there is, generally comes through the Central Railway or Western Railway teams, or other organizations. Ruhshaad is not even employed, he is still a student, adds the father.