Jeremy Lalrinnunga's mixed results at Asian Championships: Silver in snatch, setbacks in clean and jerk

Indian weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga clinched a silver medal in the snatch category of the 67kg division at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Jinju, South Korea. However, he faced setbacks in his three clean-and-jerk attempts, failing to lift the required weight and thus missing out on an overall total.

In his much-anticipated comeback tournament after the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Lalrinnunga faced a disappointing outcome as he earned a DNF in the 12-lifter field.

Jeremy Lalrinnunga on the podium at the Asian Wrestling Championships [Image: Twitter/SAI]

Despite the setback, the 20-year-old weightlifter showcased his immense talent and determination by securing a silver medal in the snatch. He did so by successfully lifting an impressive 141kg, which matched his personal best.

However, Jeremy Lalrinnunga faced challenges during the clean-and-jerk phase. In his first two attempts, he struggled to lift 165kg, missing out on the opportunity to improve his overall score.

Undeterred, he decided to increase the weight to 168kg, surpassing his previous personal best. Regrettably, the reigning Youth Olympic champion faltered once again, unable to complete the lift.

Jeremy Lalrinnunga, the weightlifter from Mizoram, made his comeback from a thigh injury that caused him to miss the previous year's World Championship.

Facing a series of challenges, Jeremy's championship got off to a shaky start when he stumbled during his opening snatch attempt of 137kg due to a weakening right knee. However, he quickly recovered and successfully lifted the same weight in his subsequent try, showcasing his resilience.

Despite this initial setback, Jeremy demonstrated his determination by surpassing his own snatch record with a successful lift of 141kg.

In the end, it was China's He Yueji who clinched the gold medal with a total lift of 320kg (147kg snatch + 173kg clean and jerk). The local favorite Lee Sangyeon secured silver with a lift of 314kg (139kg snatch + 175kg clean and jerk), and Uzbek lifter Ergashev Adkhamjon claimed the bronze medal with a lift of 312kg (138kg snatch + 174kg clean and jerk).

Prior to Jeremy Lalrinnunga's performance, Bindyarani Devi had already contributed to India's medal tally by winning a silver medal in the women's 55kg event on Saturday.