Commonwealth Games 2018: Weightlifter Sanjita Chanu wins 2nd gold for India

The Manipuri lifter lifted a total of 192 kg which included a CWG record of 84 kg in the snatch and 108 kg in clean and jerk

Indian weightlifter Sanjita Chanu won gold in the women's 53 kg category at the 21st Commonwealth Games (CWG) here on Friday.

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

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

Sanjita started off with a lift of 81kg in snatch and in her second attempt managed to lift 83kg. She then broke the Commonwealth Games record set by compatriot Swarti Singh in Glasgow by lifting 84lg in her third snatch attempt.

Sanjita looked in complete ease as she began the clean and jerk round with a lift of 104kg and then all but sealed the gold with a successful 108kg lift. High on confidence, the Indian weightlifter, went for a Commonwealth Games record in clean and jerk by attempting to lift 112kg but despite a clean pickup, she failed to get a successful lift, giving Dika Toua a ray of hope.

Needing a successful lift of 113kg to take the gold away from Sanjita, Dika Toua failed in her attempt.

On the Day 1 of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, World champion weightlifter Mirabai Chanu of India rose to the occasion to win a gold in the women's 48kg.

Mirabai Chanu went on a record-smashing spree, claiming three of them in a power-packed performance, to secure India's first gold. In a remarkable performance, Chanu smashed the Commonwealth and the Games record in snatch, pulling off clean lifts in all her three attempts (80kg, 84kg and 86kg).

She then lifted more than double her body weight (103kg, 107kg and 110kg) in three successful attempts to claim the clean and jerk as well as the overall Games record.

The showing helped her better the silver she had won in the 2014 Glasgow CWG.

Earlier in the day, P Gururaja claimed a silver medal in the men's 56kg event to open India's medal account in the quadrennial extravaganza.

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Commonwealth Games 2018: Chanu wins gold, Gururaja silver in weightlifting

Weightlifter P Gururaja bagging the silver medal in the men's 56-kilogram category Commonwealth Games. Mirabai Chanu won gold

 

Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, the 23-year-old weightlifter from Manipur, on Thursday opened India’s account of gold medals at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018 by winning one in the women’s 48 kg category, with a combined effort of 196 kg.

Breaking her six personal records in six lifts, Chanu not only made the country proud but also rewrote history, raising her own National record by one kg.

The day started with weightlifter P Gururaja bagging the silver medal in the men's 56-kg category.

Saina Nehwal showed total dominance against her Sri Lankan opponent and snatched victory in badminton. And in the men’s game, shuttler Kidambi Srikanth also won his first match. Also, India defeated Sri Lanka 3-0 in its first match in women's table tennis.

More than 4,500 athletes from 71 nations and territories are vying for 275 gold medals at the multi-sport event. Australia is hosting the Commonwealth Games for a fifth time.

The Indian contingent at the ceremony, consisting of over 200 athletes, is being led by flag-bearer P V Sindhu, the Rio Olympic silver medallist. The squad also includes double Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, and London Olympic bronze medallists Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal and Gagan Narang.

Indian swimmers Virdhawal Khade and Srihari Nataraj are through to the semi-finals of their respective swimming events.

India defeated Sri Lanka 3-0 in their first match in the women's table tennis.

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Mirabai Chanu wins Gold for India

Mirabai Chanu smashed the Commonwealth and the Games record in snatch, pulling off clean lifts in all her three attempts (80kg, 84kg and 86kg). She then lifted more than double her body weight (103kg, 107kg and 110kg) in three successful attempts to claim the clean and jerk as well as the overall Games record. The showing helped her better the silver she had won in the 2014 Glasgow CWG. The Indian ended with a score of 196kg (86kg+110kg), earning a massive applause from the fans at the Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre.

First silver for India

The 25-year-old Gururaja equalled his personal best of 249kg (111+138) to finish second in a field where Malaysia's three-time Commonwealth Championships medallist Muhammad Izhar Ahmed (117+144) broke the Games record for snatch and overall lift.

Gururaja was third after the snatch, pulling off a best of 111kg after two good lifts before surviving a few nervy moments in clean and jerk. The Indian failed in his first two attempts before managing a good lift off his last chance to zoom to the top half of the table.

All eyes on Saina NehawalSaina Nehwal snatched victory in the mixed-team badminton event against Sri Lanka. Saina beats Sri Lanka’s Madushika by 21-8, 21-4 to bolster India's lead to 4-0 over Sri Lanka. She maintained her dominance throughout the game.

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