Raising the bar

"During the three months I was in preparation for the Commonwealth Championship, I did have to give up lots of little privileges. However there was never a doubt in my mind that this is exactly what I wanted to do. Giving up things like pizza, alcohol, staying out late was never really a question for me. I knew that I was working towards a bigger goal that would be so much greater than any short-term gratification I could experience,” conveyed 18-year-old Yasmin Bhadha of New Zealand (NZ) who was declared the best lifter – sub-juniors – at the 2022 Commonwealth Championship having won three gold and one silver.
The Commonwealth Championship may be the third largest powerlifting championship after the World Championship and European Championship. Around 250 competitors aged between17 years in the sub-juniors category to 70 plus in the masters 4 category had come from Australia, Brunei, Canada, England, India, Isle of Man, Malaysia, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Republic of South Africa, Scotland, Sri Lanka, Wales and the host country to participate in the event held at the Dew Drops center in Auckland from November 27 to December 3, 2022.

Yasmin Bhadha at the Commonwealth Championship

Competing in the youngest age group of those under 18 years, Bhadha notched up "a grand total of 368 points, setting a new Commonwealth record for the highest total points for sub-juniors,” noted her proud parents Burzin and Kate who sent Parsiana the news with documentation and visual proof of Yasmin excelling at the events. In the under 69 kg weight class, Yasmin won a gold medal in deadlift (where a loaded barbell is lifted off the ground to the level of the hips before being placed back on the ground) when she set a new Commonwealth record at 181 kg. She picked up another gold in bench press (lying on her back on a bench and lifting a weight with both the arms) where she set one more Commonwealth record at 67 kg, and finally a gold medal in her overall weight and class category. For her squats (crouching and standing holding weight at the shoulder level), at 120 kg, she won a silver medal.
"Whilst I’m super proud of my achievements at the Commonwealth, I think letting titles like that get to one’s head is extremely damaging,” stated the mature teenager in an email interview with Parsiana. Although happy to receive attention and congratulations from those around her, Yasmin prefers to stay grounded by looking at the older girls against whom she will be competing in the years to come as a reminder on "how far I actually have to go… Big egos kill dreams.”
During training and in competition, Yasmin considers squats "the most mentally challenging. I think this is because it is the first lift of the day in a competition. I feel it sets the tone for how the rest of the competition is going to pan out. Therefore messing up on squats is quite mentally challenging.” Wearing a Zarathushtra pendant in her necklace, she gives it a kiss prior to every important lift for "it always calms/centers me and makes me remember who has helped me get this far.”
The presence of family and friends occupying the "entire two front rows while I was competing,” and cheering her thunderously also helped keep her motivated. "It means a lot to receive the support and encouragement from all the people around me, especially my parents. Every time I see someone from the community, they congratulate me, ask me about any future endeavors, future competitions,” she acknowledged.

Unlike past local and national competitions where too she had excelled (see "A record deadlift,” Zoroastrians Abroad, Parsiana, October 21-November 6, 2022), when preparing for "my first international competition the standard was a lot higher than I’d experienced before.” She learnt that nutrition and sleep are important "to stand a good chance against the other competitors. Performing to the best of your ability means focusing on all aspects of your life, not just training in the gym…
"I’d say diet is actually way more important than what people think. You don’t need to prioritize your nutrition, however you progress substantially faster if you do. Why work so hard in the gym during training if you are not going to maximize it by prioritizing your nutrition?” she asked rhetorically. Yasmin ensured she got enough protein during the day for her muscles to recover, and at least 50 g of carbohydrates before a training session.
"I cannot sufficiently emphasize how important a coach is. You can have all the natural talent in the world but if you don’t have a good coach who you trust and knows what he’s doing, then it means nothing. Before I got a coach, the numbers I was hitting in the gym may be considered above average to other gym goers. However my numbers shot up as soon as I got on a structured program and received methodical coaching. I would not have been able to hit any of the amazing numbers I did on the day without my coach Denzil Hogan (of DHSS Strength Systems). There is no ‘best coach’ I’d say, but it is important to find one who works for you. If you’re just going to the gym for yourself or for leisure, then you don’t really need a coach. However if you want to compete in powerlifting, then a good coach is non-negotiable.”
Dismissing myths that weight lifting is dangerous, Yasmin asserted, "I’ve never experienced injuries during training… If you’ve built a good foundation and have a coach then there’s no reason why you should be more prone to injury than in any other sport. In terms of ‘Injuries per 1,000 hours of Participation,’ powerlifting (elite, with five to 10 years of training) actually ranks 11th — behind rugby (elite), football, squash, hockey, basketball, etc,” she cited http://www.temple-of-iron.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/injury-Rates.gif.
Yasmin’s win at the Commonwealth Games helped Team New Zealand propel to the No 1 position in the sub-junior category. However, there is not much money in the sport, nor additional perks, etc from the NZ government other than the opportunity to represent the country, she pointed out. "My priorities have more or less stayed the same. I still want to go to university and get an education,” she declared. Having just concluded her final year at Saint Kentigern College, the hardworking student who has consistently earned an A grade in academics plans to pursue engineering at the University of Auckland.
"Sports is definitely a big part of NZ culture. It’s almost hard to find a Parsi youth who grew up in NZ and hasn’t/doesn’t play at least one sport… Growing up here, you get quite entangled in the Kiwi culture.” Within the Parsi culture what she finds most appealing is the practice "of helping out and supporting someone, even if you barely know them, just based on the fact that they’re part of the community.”
While preparing for the Commonwealth Games, "making time for my other sports wasn’t really possible,” confessed Yasmin. Besides being a karateka, she was captain of the girls’ cricket team at her college and was also on the women’s premium team at the Pakuranga Cricket Club. Additionally she played netball in the college team at the Howick Pakuranga Netball Club. Having enjoyed these games since she was a child, Yasmin is convinced: "It’s important to play a team sport as it teaches you so much.”
While simultaneously pursuing her individual and team events Yasmin has learnt early: "Everyone must choose one of two pains in life: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.”