Birmingham, Aug 3: India’s Lovepreet Singh won a bronze in men’s 109 kg to continue the country’s medal rush in weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games here on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old son of a tailor from Ludhiana lifted a personal best of 355 kg, including a new national record of 192 kg in clean and jerk, to finish third on the podium.
A steady Lovepreet improved from 157kg to 163kg in his final attempt of snatch to be joint second with Canadian Pierre-Alexandre Bessette. However, the intense competition got the better of him in the clean and jerk, as he slipped to third position.
“I could not have been happier. This was my first big competition at the International stage and I produced my best ever show to return with a medal,” said the former Commonwealth junior champion.
Junior Nyabeyeu of Cameroon claimed the gold medal with a total lift of 361 kg, while Jack Opeloge of Samoa bagged the silver by lifting 358 kg in the event.
Lovepreet’s family wanted to make him a sportsperson, and his journey began at the age of 13 by training at the DAV Ground.
He went on to win the 2017 Commonwealth Junior Championship, and in the same year, bagged a bronze at the Asian Junior Championship.
In his maiden CWG, he had successful lifts in all his attempts in both snatch and clean-jerk, displaying his composure.
“This was my first major competition so obviously I was under pressure. But nerves settled after my first lift as I gradually kept on improving,” he said.
Meanwhile, Purnima Pandey finished a disappointing sixth in the women’s +87kg event at the Commonwealth Games here on Wednesday.
Pandey managed just two lifts, which is the bare minimum required to register a total, for an aggregate of 228kg (103kg+ 125kg) at the NEC here.
In her last two clean and jerk attempts of 133kg, the barbell slipped out of her hands before she could complete ‘clean’.
Emily Campbell smashed the Games record in snatch and total lift as she heaved 286kg (124kg+162kg) to take home the gold medal.
She also created a Commonwealth record in clean and jerk and total lift.
Samoa’s Feagaiga Stowers 268kg (121kg+147kg) clinched the silver while Australian Charisma Amoe Tarrant walked away with a bronze after lifting 239kg (100kg+139kg).
India have so far won nine medals in the weightlifting arena at the National Exhibition Centre, including three gold. (PTI)
