25 July 2014

India clinched two gold medals in weightlifting

India ran away with opening day honours in the weightlifting competition of the 20th Commonwealth Games with Sukhen Dey and K Sanjita Chanu winning the gold medal in their respective events.

The Indian team bagged four out of six medals on offer on Day one of the competition on 24th July. 

Sanjita and Saikhom Mirabai Chanu opened India's campaign on a flying note by winning a gold and silver respectively in women's 48kg before Dey and Ganesh Mali bagged with first and third position in men's 56kg to cap a remarkable day for the Indians at the Clyde Auditorium. 

The 25-year-old Dey lifted a total of 248kg (109+139) after trailing at the halfway snatch stage, but came back strongly in clean and jerk to win the gold. He had also won a silver in the 2010 Delhi CWG besides bagging a gold in the 2013 Commonwealth Championships in November last year. 

21-year-old Mali was leading after snatch but slipped behind in clean and jerk to settle for bronze with a total lift of 244kg (111+133). Malaysia's Mohd Pisol Zulheimi was at fourth after snatch but recovered in fine fashion to bag the silver with a total lift of 245kg (108+137). 

Zulheimi and another Malaysian, Mohd Faizal Baharom, gave a tough competition to Dey and Mali from the beginning but the Indians had the support in their side with a seizable crowd rooting for them with the tri-colour in their hands.