Gold Coast: Indian weightlifter Sanjita Chanu won gold in the women's 53kg category at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on Friday.

The Manipuri star lifted a total of 192 kgs which included a CWG record of 84 kgs in the snatch and 108 kgs in clean and jerk.

Defending champion Loa Dika Toua of Papua New Guinea was a distant second with 182 kgs while Canada's Rachel Leblanc-Bazinet took bronze with 181 kgs.

India's women's 53Kg Weightlifting Gold medalist Sanjita Chanu, center, with Papua New Guinea's Silver medalist Dika Loa Toua, left, and Canada Bronze medalist Rachel Leblanc-Bazinet wave during the medal ceremony at the Commonwealth Games, in Gold Coast, Australia, Friday, April 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Sanjita Chanu fought off the challenge of Dika Loa Toua and Rachel Leblanc-Bazinet to win gold. AP

This was India's second gold at the Gold Coast Games. Fellow Manipuri weightlifter Mirabai Chanu had won gold with spectacular record-breaking attempts in the women's 48kg on Thursday.

Sanjita was by far the most dominant competitor in both snatch and clean and jerk.

She took the lead in the snatch with an opening attempt of 81 kgs.

Canada's Rachel, who had managed 78 kgs in her first snatch attempt, joined Sanjita at the pole position by lifting 81 kgs in her second attempt.

But Sanjita showed her class by equalling the CWG record of 83 kgs in her second attempt to regain the lead.

The Kiwi, whose best lift in training has been 82 kgs, made a brave and futile attempt to match the CWG record.

The Indian then walked out to set a new CWG record at 84 kgs and take the lead. The previous CWG record of 83 kgs was set by compatriot Swati Singh at the Glasgow Games in 2014.

Things were even easier for Sanjita in the clean and jerk as none of her rivals managed to produce even a semblance of a challenge.

Sanjita took the lead with a successful opening attempt of 104 kgs. She bolstered her lead with 108 kgs in her second attempt.

She then attempted to better the existing CWG record of 111 kgs which was set by Loa in 2014. That, however, was not to be as Sanjita failed to lift 112 kgs in her third attempt.

Loa, who started with a successful attempt of 102 kgs, failed to hoist 109 kg in her second attempt.

She then went for 113 kgs in her final attempt in a bid to better her own CWG record and retain the title which she had won four years ago.

But she failed her third attempt despite a brave effort as the Indian camp celebrated Sanjita's triumph.

Rachel meanwhile, needed two attempts to clear 98 kgs before lifting 100 kgs in her third attempt.


Published Date: Apr 06, 2018 08:45 AM | Updated Date: Apr 06, 2018 08:45 AM