Record-breaking Saikhom Mirabai Chanu on Saturday defended her Commonwealth Games title with the gold medal in women's 49 kg weightlifting at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham. The 27-year-old lifted a combined weight of 201 kg to win the gold.
This was India's first gold medal in these Games. Earlier in the day, fellow lifter Sanket Mahadev Sargar won India's first medal with a silver in the men's 55 kg category. Then, Gururaja Poojary clinched a bronze medal in the men's 61 kg category.
Mirabai, the 2017 World champion, dominated the field with a dominant show. She started with a lift of 84 kg, then created a new Commonwealth Games record (88 kg) in snatch. But she failed in the 90 kg.
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In the clean and jerk, the Tokyo Olympics silver medallist started with a lift of 109 kg, then made it to 113 kg (a new Games record). But she failed to lift 115 kg in the final attempt, thus settling with another Commonwealth Games record of 201 kg.
Watch the moment here:
Roilya Ranaivosoa of Mauritius and of Hannah Kaminski of Canada took silver and bronze, respectively. Ranaivosoa lifted 172 kg (76 kg in snatch and 96 in clean & jerk), while Kaminski managed 171 kg (74 kg in snatch and 97 in clean & jerk).
In the last edition, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu won the 48 kg gold with a combined lift of 196 kg (85 kg in snatch; 109 kg in clean & jerk), a Games record. Her 119 kg lift at the 2021 Asian Championships is also the world record in clean & jerk (48 kg).
