Jeremy Lalrinnunga, who defied odds to win at Commonwealth Games, could be poster boy of weightlifting in years to come

In weightlifting, the top practitioners lift bars several times heavier than their own body weight. That cannot be possible without a sound technique. Knees, hips, shoulders and arms need to be in perfect alignment, otherwise not only can a lifter fail, but also suffer grievous injury. Jeremy’s near-perfect lifts are a testimony to India’s expertise and depth in a sport that has consistently delivered medals for the nation on the world stage. Remember, it was way back in 2000 that Karnam Malleswari won an Olympic bronze medal.

With age on his side, Jeremy will be tipped for many such successes. With the Hangzhou Asian Games a little more than a year away, and Paris Olympics in 2024, India would expect the lifters to climb the podium again. But the road ahead is tough as the level of competition, even at the continental level, is much higher than at Birmingham. To be on the top of the world, the boy from Aizawl needs to be stronger and lift much heavier weights. With a total lift of 300 kg, he broke a Commonwealth Games record. That happens to be 39 kg less than the world record.