India put up grand show in weightlifting

Four medals clinched by Indian lifters are worth their weight in gold considering the drama surrounding the squad's build-up

Four medals clinched by Indian lifters are worth their weight in gold considering the drama surrounding the squad's build-up
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Weightlifter Sandhya Rani Devi competes in the 48kg category in which she won a bronze. pic/Rajeev Tyagi

The Indian weightlifting contingent's participation at the Commonwealth Games depended on prayers and a massive $375,000 bail out. The lifters and their Federation were clueless as to where to generate funds from to pay up the hefty $500,000 fine handed out to them by the International Weightlifting Federation after six of India's lifters tested positive for banned substances.

The Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) had managed to pay $125,000 and if the remainder of the fine was not paid by August 31, the IWF would face a ban and subsequently, a no-show at the CWG.

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Eventually, the Federation was bailed out by the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, who granted an interest-free loan of $375,000.

Amid all this drama and chaos, India's lifters fared well on the first day of competition at the Nehru Stadium
yesterday.

"It is a fantastic performance especially by the men," bronze medal winner at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Karnam Malleswari told MiD DAY immediately after the men's 56kg weightlifting winners were decided. Sukhen Dey (21) and Srinivasa Rao Valluri (28) won silver and bronze in the men's 56kg category.

Special
In the women's 48kg category, Soniya Chanu and Sandhya Rani won the silver and bronze medal respectively. "The medals, even though, silver and bronze, were special because of the recent controversies. I am proud of the lifters because they stayed focussed throughout this ordeal," the Khel Ratna awardee added.

Chanu, who clinched India's first medal on Day One of competition, revealed that the federation backed them to the hilt and all the lifters were confident of participation.

"We knew right along that we would participate in the CWG. So, the entire contingent remained focussed on the job at hand. We knew our strong federation and its office bearers would ensure our participation," said Chanu after finishing second in the women's 48kg event.u00a0

"I have let my federation and my coach (Harnam Singh), down. He introduced me to everybody saying, 'yeh meri beti hai aur yeh gold layegi.' I am really disappointed to have let him down so badly," Chanu said even as national coach Harnam smiled wryly.

Meanwhile, Devi totalled 165 (snatch and clean & jerk combined) to finish third closely behind Chanu whose overall score was 167 and gold medal winner, Nigeria's Nwaokolo Augustine Nkem, who totalled 175 for her effort.

"I had lost all hope of winning a medal after faring poorly in the snatch event. But thankfully, I did well and bounced back in the clean and jerk. It feels really great, though I am disappointed because, had I done well in snatch, I could well have won a silver or gold," Devi said.