6 mins, 6 lifts and 6 records
Weightlifter Chanu creates history at CW Games
Gold Coast, April 5: World champion weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (48kg) went on a record-smashing spree, claiming three of them in a power-packed performance, to secure India’s first gold medal at the 21st Commonwealth Games here on Thursday. In a remark- able performance, she smashed the Commonwealth and the Games record in snatch, pulling off clean lifts in all her three attempts (80kg, 84kg and 86kg). She then lifted more than double her body weight (103kg, 107kg and 110kg) in three successful attempts to claim the clean and jerk as well as the overall Games record — a total of six lifts all in six minutes. The showing helped her better the silver she had won in the 2014 Glasgow CWG.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated Saikhom Mirabai Chanu and P. Gururaja for winning India’s first medals in the Commonwealth Games, saying India is delighted by the achievements.
Gold Coast, April 5: A record-smashing Mirabai Chanu and the persevering P. Gururaja claimed gold and silver respectively, as weightlifters lived up to the preevent hype by delivering opening day medals for India at the 21st Commonwealth Ga-mes here on Thursday.
Chanu smashed the Games’ record in the 48kg snatch, clean and jerk and overall en route to her gold medal, which fetched her a thunderous applause at the Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre from Australian fans who queued up to take her autograph after the medal ceremony.
Chanu lifted 196kg (86kg + 110kg) in a remarkable effort. The silver went to Mauritius’ Marie Ranaivosova (76kg + 94kg), while the bronze was taken by Sri Lanka’s Dinusha Gomes (70kg + 85kg).
The 23-year-old Mirabai’s previous best was a 194kg (snatch 85kg and 109kg in clean and jerk) at the world championships a few months ago. She had won silver at the 2014 Glasgow CWG.
“I was not expecting to set records but I certainly wanted to break them when I came here. I can’t put in words, how it feels right now,” an exhausted but jubilant Chanu said after her gold medal.
Earlier, Gururaja survived a few anxious moments after two failed attempts in clean and jerk to claim a silver medal.
The 25-year-old, son of a truck driver, equalled his personal best of 249kg (111kg+138kg) to ensure that India woke up to the news of a medal on the very first day of competition.
“After I failed the first two attempts, my coach reminded me how much my life depends on this. I remembered my family and my country,” he said, when asked what went through his mind in those nervy moments.
“The Asian region is the toughest in weightlifting because there is China and Thailand. But I am confident of a good performance. The win continues to heal the wounds of my Olympic heartbreak. I had such bad luck there,” Mirabai said, referring to her failure to manage a single clean lift at the 2016 Rio Games.
M. Raja (62kg) was the third weightlifter in contention on the day but he finished sixth overall with a total effort of 266kg (116kg+150kg).