Indian weightlifters capped off a memorable day, clinching a gold, silver and bronze at the Commonwealth Games today in Birmingham.
While Sanket Sargar opened India’s account with a silver in the men’s 55kg category, Gururaja Poojary followed it up with a bronze in 61kg.
The sensational Mirabai Chanu then made the day even better, with a gold in the women’s 49kg category, with a CWG record lift of 201kg. The 27-year-old lifted 88kg in snatch and 113kg in clean and jerk. Coincidentally, Chanu had won India’s first gold at CWG 2018, too.
The Olympic silver medallist, who has been working on her snatch technique, attempted the much-anticipated 90kg but couldn't pull it off.
Sporting her famous 'lucky' earrings shaped like the Olympic rings, Chanu lifted more than twice her body weight (109kg, 113kg) in the clean and jerk, in which she holds the world record (119kg).
Mauritian weightlifter Marie Hanitra Roilya Ranaivosoa 172kg (76kg+96kg) won the silver. Hannah Kaminski of Canada 171 kg (74kg+97kg) also finished on the podium.
With this, Chanu added a third CWG medal to her kitty, having won silver and gold in the Glasgow and Gold Coast editions respectively.
Earlier, Sargar targeted a gold but injured his right elbow while attempting to lift 139kg in his second clean and jerk attempt to eventually settle for a second place.
The 21-year-old managed a total of 248kg (113kg+135kg) to finish just one kilogramme behind Malaysia's Mohamad Aniq, who smashed the Games record in clean and jerk as he lifted 249kg (107kg+142kg) to win the gold. Sri Lanka's Dilanka Isuru Kumara 225kg (105kg+120kg) took home the bronze.
Later Gururaja, the silver medallist at Gold Coast 2018, finished third in 61kg to clinch India's first ever CWG medal in this weight category.
Gururaj was placed fourth after snatch competition. He lifted 151kg in his final clean and jerk attempt to seal the bronze with a total lift of 269kg, edging out Canada's Youri Simard (119kg).
Malaysian Aznil Bidin shattered two Games records lifting 127kg (snatch) and 158kg (clean and jerk) to successfully defend his 2018 CWG title with a massive lift of 285kg. Papua New Guinea's Morea Baru won the silver lifting a total of 273kg (121+152).
For Sargar, who was managing a paan shop with his father in Sangli, Maharashtra, it indeed is a feat to cherish.
"There were no errors committed during the lift. I felt a sudden load on my right elbow so I couldn't control it and there were two clicks I heard," Sargar said at the mixed zone.
In fact, at the Commonwealth Championships in Tashkent last December where he won a silver, he had lifted 143kg with ease.
"In training, I regularly lift 143kg. I had to go for it as there was gold at stake. I am not happy with myself because I have been training for the last four years only for the gold.
"I am a bit happy but mostly feel I could have done better. I did not take the risk to go beyond my national record because completing a lift is important as well," he said about not going beyond 113kg in snatch.
Sargar said he had to take the risk of lifting 139kg as "gold was on offer".
"Before the last lift, sir (coach Vijay Sharma) asked me whether I wanted to go ahead. He tried to stop me at first but later encouraged me. I lift more than this in practice."
The lifter said he would undergo scans to know the extent of his injury.
"I will go for an X-ray after the dope samples are collected and the actual status will be known. Currently I'm in a lot of pain.”
Meanwhile, it was a story of sacrifices for Gururaja after switching the Olympic discipline, following his silver medal at Gold Coast which came in the 56kg category.
"I got married in May last year but could not be with my family as I joined the camp," said Gururaja.
At the camp, he was down with fever and could not give his best in training.
"I'm very happy with my performance. I could not train properly and had a fever, knee and wrist pain. So, it was a very good effort."
He further credited the national coach to motivate and go past the Canadian rival in the clean and jerk.
"He egged me on and told me to 'give my best, otherwise all my sacrifices of leaving home and staying alone would go in vain'. It really motivated me and I went for the bronze," he said.
"I hope this is just the beginning for me and I will improve from here onwards looking at the Paris Olympics," he said.
(With PTI inputs)
