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India’s teenage lifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga was flawless in snatch, but grimaced in pain during clean and jerk at CWG 2022. However, he withstood all pain to claim gold in the men’s 67kg category at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games on Sunday.
Lalrinnunga set a CWG record of 140kg in snatch and lifted 160kg in clean and jerk for an aggregate of 300kg. He also gave India its second gold in weightlifting. Mirabai Chanu won the first gold for India in the women’s 49kg on Saturday.
No doubt Lalrinnunga was far ahead of his rivals in the nine-member field, but struggled to stay on course for a gold medal. The Indian lifter enjoyed a big 10kg lead after snatch, as he lifted 140kg. His nearest rival from Nigeria, Edidiong Joseph Umoafia, could only lift 130kg in snatch.
Lalrinnunga tried to further raise the bar in snatch but failed to clear 143kg.
The Indian lifter started his clean and jerk with 154kg. He was successful, but limped and needed support to walk back to the warmup arena. He was attended to by a team physio.
He looked physically prepared for his second attempt of 160kg. He was successful in his effort but thereafter fell on the platform. Jeremy was again attended by a team physio due to pain in left leg.
Despite signs of fatigue, the Indian weightlifting coaching staff further raised the bar to 165kg. The teenage lifter failed to lift 165kg and tumbled on the platform. He was later attended to by a team physio.
The promising lifter, however, carried himself gracefully to the podium and showed no signs of distress while receiving his CWG medal.
The 19-year-old 2018 Youth Olympic Games champion has been battling a knee injury since December 2021, but was supposed to have recovered for CWG 2022.
India’s chief coach Vijay Sharma wasn’t available for his comments on the nature of the injury, if any, that Lalrinnunga sustained during his gold-winning efforts.
Vaipava Nevo Ioane of Samoa took home silver with a total lift of 293kg. Nigeria’s Joseph won bronze with a total lift of 290kg.
