CWG 2022: Weight lifter Sanket Sagar won India's first medal, son of tea-pakora seller got silver

India's medal account in the Commonwealth Games opened with silver. Sanket Sagar, son of a roadside tea-pakoda seller in Sangli, Maharashtra, performed amazingly in the 55 kg weightlifting category. Unfortunately, he could not win the gold due to injury. He lifted 107 kg in his very first attempt in the snatch. Lifted 111 kg in the second time. He lifted 113 kg in the third attempt. He finished first in this round. He then finished second in clean and jerk.

Sanket, a three-time national champion and gold medalist at the Commonwealth Championships in December last year, used to regularly help his father run a tea shop before joining the national weightlifting camp in Patiala last year. With this, he took time out to do training and went to college. His sister also does weightlifting. Kajol Sagar came into the limelight by winning the gold medal at the Khelo India Youth Games 2022 in Panchkula, Haryana. Both also help their father in running the shop.

Sanket lifted 135 kg in his first attempt in clean and jerk. After this, in the second attempt, he tried to lift 139 kg, but he was not successful and his hand was also injured. In his third attempt, he tried to lift 142 kilograms, but failed due to pain. He was seen moaning with hurt. Malaysia's Mohamed Aneek lifted a total of 249 kg and won the gold medal in clean and jerk by creating a new Games record. He lifted 107 kg in snatch and 142 kg in clean and jerk.

Dilanka Isuru Kumara of Sri Lanka won the bronze medal by lifting 225 kg. Last time India won nine medals including five gold in weightlifting. In the evening, P Gururaja (61kg), Olympic silver medalist Mirabai Chanu (49kg) and S Bindiyarani Devi (55kg) will also be in the race for a medal.