The medal rush from the sport of weightlifting continued for India at the 2022 Commonwealth Games as Jeremy Lalrinnunga won a gold in the men’s 67kg category. This is India’s second gold medal of the campaign after ace lifter Mirabai Chanu kept her promise and delivered a gold on Saturday. Jeremy created a new Commonwealth Games record in the snatch event, by picking up 140 kg.
He lifted a total of 160kg in the clean and jerk segment to finish with a grand total of 300kg, which is also a new CWG record.
Jeremy looked injured at the end of his final attempt of 165kg, which he failed to complete, with the Indian coaches working closely with him. The youngster though looked in good spirit when he was presented the yellow metal on the podium as the Indian national anthem played in the background.
The 19-year-old, from Aizawl in Mizoram, had won the gold in the 62kg event at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games and also won a gold in the 67kg category in the Commonwealth Championships last year.
Samoa’s veteran lifter Vaipava Ioane won the silver with a combined lift of 293kg, while Nigeria’s Edidiong Umoafia took the bronze with 290 kg.
Jeremy opened up a huge 10kg gap with the nearest rival Edidiong Joseph Umoafia when he lifted 140kg in a successful second attempt. He had begun with 136kg.
Jeremy further targetted 143kg in his final attempt, but did not succeed.
In Clean and Jerk, the 2021 Commonwealth Championship winner began with 154kg and followed that up with 160kg, but could not complete the 165kg attempt.
This was India’s fifth medal from the weightlifting arena with Mirabai Chanu (gold), Sanket Sargar (silver), Bidyarani Devi (silver) and Gururaj Poojary (bronze) earning podium finishes on Saturday.
Promoted
Son of a national-level boxer Lalneihtluanga, Lalrinnunga also aspired to don the gloves but shifted to weightlifting as it involved just power to excel, something he found fascinating.
(with PTI inputs)
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