Commonwealth Games 2022: Six weightlifters who have won medals for India
All six medals for India so far have come from weightlifting.
Just when we thought India will have a poor show at the Commonwealth Games due the the exclusion of shooting and the last-minute injury to Neeraj Chopra, weightlifters have come to the rescue. Indian weightlifters have won six medals - 3 golds, 2 silvers and one bronze - by the end of Day 3 in Birmingham.
All six medals for India so far have come from weightlifting. India is at the sixth place in the medals tally.
We take a look at the six weightlifters who have won medals for India at the Commonwealth Games 2022:
Achinta Sheuli: Achinta Sheuli on Sunday won a gold medal in the men's 73 kg category to give India the sixth medal in weightlifting. Favourite to win the event, the 20-year-old lifted 313kg (143kg+170kg) to grab the gold.
Sheuli started his weightlifting career in 2010. He went on to win the Khelo India Youth games gold medal in 2018 and won silver at the World Youth Weightlifting Championship in 2021.
His 143 kg effort on Sunday helped him smash the Games record and improve his personal best. “I’m very happy about this, I’ve worked hard for this medal. A lot of sacrifices of my brother, mother, my coach and the Army have gone into this medal,” the Kolkata lifter. said after the win.
Jeremy Lalrinnunga: Jeremy Lalrinnunga is one of the most promising weightlifters India have at the moment. While winning the gold medal in the men's 67kg competition, Jeremy shattered two CWG weightlifting records.
He first bettered the snatch mark with a 140 kg lift and then lifted 160 kg in clean and jerk to take his aggregate to 300 kg, which is a new Games record.
Born in 2022, in Aizawl, Jeremy is the son of junior national champion boxer, Lalneihtluanga. "It seems I'm in a different world now and living a dream. It's my first major competition at the senior level after the Youth Olympics," he said after the win.
Mirabai Chanu: Mirabai Chanu is one of India's best weightlifters, and we were expecting a gold from her. But the way she dominated the event while giving India its first gold in Birmingham was exceptional.
The Olympic silver medallist aggregated a total of 201 kg (88 kg + 113 kg) to achieve a Commonwealth Games record and win gold in the 49 kg category. Chanu had won the gold medal in the Commonwealth Games 2018 at Goldcoast.
Mirabai’s silver medal at Tokyo 2020 was only the second Olympic medal by an Indian weightlifter after Karnam Malleswari. She also became only the second Indian woman after PV Sindhu to win an Olympic silver medal.
Bindyarani Devi: Weightlifter Bindyarani Devi gave one of her best performances ever to secure a silver in the women’s 55kg category. The 23-year-old created a Games record by lifting 116kg in the clean and jerk. She also lifted after a personal best of 86kg in the snatch section, totalling 202 kg.
Bindyarani hails from Manipur and had won the Commonwealth Championships gold in 2019 before winning a silver in the 2021 edition.
“It is my first CWG and I feel very happy about the silver and about the Games record as well,” Bindyarani said.
Sanket Sargar: Indian weightlifter Sanket Sargar was the one who opened India's medal count in Birmingham after he won silver silver in the men’s 55kg on July 30.
The 21-year-old however, will be a little disappointed with him as he was on course to win the gold but two failed clean and jerk attempts made him settle for silver. He lifted a total of 248kg (113kg+135kg).
Sargar, who took up wrestling when he was 13-year-old, helps his father, who owns a pan shop and a food stall in Sangli, Maharashtra.
Gururaja Poojary: Weightlifter Gururaja Poojary won a bronze medal in the men’s 61kg category. A silver medallist at the 2018 CWG, Gururaja lifted a total of 269kg (118kg+151kg).
He hails from Udupi in Karnataka and trains at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala. He joined the Indian Air Force in 2015.
Ahead of the competition, Gururaja revealed that he left home just one month after the marriage to join the national camp.
Where to watch Commonwealth Games in India: All the sporting events from Birmingham will be broadcast live on Sony TEN 1, Sony TEN 2, Sony TEN 3, Sony SIX, and Sony TEN 4 channels. Live streaming of the Games will also be available on the SonyLIV app and website.