Ubaid Yatoo: Small-town hero with big lifting dreams

Baramulla, Jan 5: Three years ago, when 25-year-old Ubaid Yatoo joined a local gym in Pattan, a town in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, little did he know that his hard work and commitment would lead him to remarkable achievements.

Yatoo shined in the powerlifting, reaching a place where the dream of achieving his goal remained no more a distant dream.

Hailing from Wussan village in Pattan, Yatoo made a name for himself in powerlifting, turning his once-distant dream into a reality. His journey began under the guidance of Javed Ahmad Wani, a trained coach and owner of the gym.

Recognizing Yatoo's potential and dedication, trainer Wani introduced him to the world of powerlifting. With training and unrelenting commitment, Yatoo climbed the ranks.

During the past three years, Yatoo participated in four national-level competitions held in Surat, Delhi, and Maharashtra. The recent competition at the national level bagged him a silver medal at the National Powerlifting Championship held in Pune in December 2024.

Yatoo's performance at the event has earned him a spot in the prestigious Asian Powerlifting Championship, scheduled to take place in Surat in February 2025.

The championship will host top athletes from across Asia, making it a significant milestone in Yatoo's sporting journey.

"So far, my journey has been remarkable," said Yatoo. "I have worked hard for this and am hopeful to achieve big in the field.”

Expressing his excitement about the upcoming Asian Championship, Yatoo said, “This is a huge honour and dream come true. Representing my country on an international stage. I aim to make my country proud,” said Yatoo.

His coach and mentor, Javed Ahmad Wani, while talking to Greater Kashmir, praised the achievement of Ubaid Yatoo, calling him a hard worker and dedicated athlete.

"Ubaid has shown that success is not confined to people from big cities where facilities are more," said Wani.