Sanjita surmounts odds to lift India’s second gold
After battling to top spot in 53kg, Manipuri lifter recounts the road back from injury
GOLD COAST : Sanjita Chanu Khumukcham’s eyes welled up as she stood atop the podium on Friday with the gold she won in the women’s 53kg weight category.
This was India’s second gold in this edition and also the second for Sanjita in Commonwealth Games.
The tears were of relief mixed with happiness. Relief because she had come through a bruising battle with Laura Dika Toua of Paupa New Guinea (PNG). Sanjita had overcome a torrid time while recovering from injury which required her to move to a higher weight category. Adding a second CWG gold to her 48kg win at 2014 Glasgow, she proved her detractors wrong.
TOUGH COMEBACK
Sanjita had suffered a back injury after Glasgow. On her comeback, she did not have good results and had to go up a weight class and toil to get to the top.
“A lot of people had doubts whether I would win a medal again. I had another injury during the World Championships in 2017. I had to work harder, but had lot of help from my coaches and federation. I spend extra time with physio, nearly half-an-hour before every training session.
Sanjita got into the fray at 81kg in snatch and easily lifted, which straightaway put her at the top. But Loa Dika Toua was the Games record holder and the one to beat. The 2014 gold medallist and 2006 silver medallist, started with 78kg.
Sanjita went for 83kg and raised it to 84kg to set a Games record that sealed the top spot. Toua failed at 82kg.
Though she had a slight edge over Dika Toua, Sanjita had to do better in clean and jerk as her rival held the Commonwealth Championships record. Sanjita started at 104kg and then lifted 108. Dika Toua, having cleared 102, raised the weight to 109 to put pressure on Sanjita, but failed.
In her third turn, Sanjita attempted 112kg to put it beyond her rival. But she failed, leaving Dika Toua to make a last-ditch attempt at lifting 113kg. Her effort was futile, sealing gold for India.
CASH AWARDS
The Manipur government announced cash awards for Mirabai and Sanjita. Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren made the announcement in Imphal on Friday. “We’ve talent in Manipur and we’ll be rewarding ~15 lakh each to Mirabai and Sanjita for winning gold,” said Biren.