17-year-old powerlifting champion Yashtika Acharya died on Feb. 18, 2025, after she fell trying to squat 270 kilograms in training. Acharya was training in Rajasthan Bikaner, India, with a spotter when she attempted to unrack the weight from a squat rack.
As she stepped back, the weight was too heavy to stabilize after she and the spotter lifted it. She collapsed with the weight, and the loaded barbell landed on top of her neck. She was too far from the rack for the safety arms to catch the weight.
According to the Hindustan Times, Acharya was rushed to a local hospital, where she was soon declared deceased. Local police confirmed that the incident resulted in a broken neck. The unnamed spotter also suffered minor injuries, but no additional details were shared at the time of this article’s publication. It is unclear if he was a spotter or Acharya’s trainer.
A video of the accident was posted on the Gym.Legends‘ Instagram page, which can be seen below. Viewer discretion is advised.
Acharya was a gold medalist at the Junior National Games in India and reportedly earned a gold medal as an 84KG competitor at the 2024 National Bench Press championships in Goa, India.
Local media reports that Acharya’s family was notified but has not filed any cases at the time of this article’s publication.
Acharya’s death caught the attention of the powerlifting community far beyond her home country. Some criticize the spotter for not stopping her from attempting the lift or being unable to assist when Acharya was struggling with the weight. Others echo the message to have one or more spotters capable of helping when lifting heavy weights and to stay within the squat rack so the safety arms can serve the lifter if needed.
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Featured Image: @gym.legends on Instagram
