Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships: Shubham Todkar wins gold in 67 kg category

Greater Noida: Shubham Todkar clinched the 61kg gold but he wasn’t the best lifter in the category as compatriot Sidhanta Gogoi, competing in the junior competition, out-performed him on day two of the Commonwealth Championships here on Thursday. Shubham, who is in the Indian squad for the upcoming World Championships, heaved a total of 259kg (115kg+144kg), while Sidhanta had a best effort of 260kg (112kg+148kg) to be crowned the junior champion. The senior, junior and youth events are being held simultaneously at the Gautam Buddha University here. Shubham’s tournament started on a bad note as he fluffed his first snatch attempt of 113kg. The lifter from Maharashtra looked a little off colour but successfully heaved the weight in his second attempt before lifting 115kg. In the clean and jerk section, he succeeded in lifting 139kg and 144kg before faltering his 147kg attempt. ‘‘I am very happy because it is my first international medal. This is my third international event. But I am not satisfied with my performance, it was not what expected it to be,’’ Shubham told PTI after the win. ‘‘My hand slipped during that first snatch attempt and I was not able to clean my third clean and jerk attempt, maybe cutting the weight took away some strength from my thighs,’’ he added. Sidhanta, on the other hand, was on a roll. The 19-year-old executed five of his six lifts perfectly. The only blip in his impressive performance being the final 152kg clean and jerk lift which he couldn’t complete. He beat compatriot Shankar Lapung, who lifted 249kg (110kg+139kg) by a massive 12kg margin. The loudest cheer of the day, however, came from the Samoan camp as 35-year-old Commonwealth Games silver medallist Vaipava Nevo Ioane was crowned the 67kg champion. The Samoan champion weightlifter, with a best effort of 280kg (120kg+160kg), was far ahead of silver medallist Madhavan T of India, who lifted 268kg (125kg+143kg). Ioane had finished second to Jeremy Lalrinnunga at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games last year. The Youth Olympic champion is currently nursing a back injury and has thus skipped this tournament. In the women’s 59kg event, India’s Popy Hazarika changed the shade of her silver from last edition to gold. She lifted 84kg in snatch and 105kg in clean and jerk for a total of 189kg. Malta’s Tenishia Thorton’s won the silver with an effort of 186kg (82kg+104kg) while South African Anneke Spies’s bagged the bronze by lifting 185kg (80+105kg).