Woman Cop Lifts 145 Kg Even During Pregnancy

Thirtyone-year-old Sonika Yadav, a police constable in Delhi, displayed that pregnancy cannot stop her from performing in the powerlifting competition. Her immense grit and dedication should be a source of inspiration to other pregnant women in the nation, who in many cases reduce activity, citing various reasons.

At the All India Police Weightlifting Cluster 2025-26, she stepped onto the platform and many in the crowd thought that she had moved up from her usual 65-kg category to the 84-kg category after putting on some weight. However, she gripped the barbell for a 145-kg deadlift and the spectators were left astonished on learning that she was not just heavier, but seven-months pregnant. Surprisingly, she earned the bronze medal too.

Soon they cheered her with “Come on, Soni” slogans. Sonika began practising powerlifting in 2023 and even her husband felt that she would stop going to the gym, on knowing that she was pregnant.

However, pregnancy could not stop her from exercising in the gym. Speaking to an English newspaper, she said that she did not want pregnancy to be taken as a setback or something that stops women from doing something. In the powerlifting category, she first did squats with 125 kg, bench pressed 80 kg and then came the deadlift. Initially, she was supposed to lift 135 kg but becoming aware that she might not win the medal, she lifted the 145 kg.

Earlier, Sonika searched on the internet if there were women who lifted weights during pregnancy and found that a woman named Lucie Martins had done powerlifting during pregnancy in a competition. Sonika reached out to her on Instagram and sought some tips. Martins advised that one should squeeze their belly and do the lift normally. Sonika practised it and then implemented it.

Initially, when she had gone for the championship she wore loose clothes and people thought it was because she changed her weight category. When she did the bench press, her husband came and helped her get up. People did not understand the reason behind it but on knowing that I was pregnant, women walked up to me and congratulated me. I could not wear a belt due to the belly size. “I felt great when people congratulated me and clicked pictures,” she said.