Glasgow, July 26: India’s Rishikanta Singh produced a valiant performance despite battling injury to clinch the silver medal in the men’s 60kg weightlifting event at the Commonwealth Games here on Sunday, securing the country’s first medal in an able-bodied discipline at the ongoing Games.
The 28-year-old lifter from Manipur finished with a combined lift of 264kg (121kg in snatch and 143kg in clean and jerk), after leading the competition following a brilliant snatch effort that equalled the Commonwealth Games record.
Rishikanta successfully lifted 121kg in the snatch to move into pole position ahead of the clean and jerk. However, a knee injury sustained just a week before the competition resurfaced at the crucial stage, preventing him from capitalising on his early advantage.
Although he managed to register 143kg in the clean and jerk, he failed in his subsequent attempts at 148kg and 151kg, opening the door for Malaysia’s Mohamad Aniq Kasdan to snatch the gold medal.
Kasdan matched Rishikanta’s 121kg in the snatch before producing a Games record lift of 152kg in the clean and jerk to finish with an overall total of 273kg, setting new Commonwealth Games records in both the clean and jerk and total lift.
Kenya’s Joshua Amunga Mboya claimed the bronze medal with an aggregate of 260kg (115kg+145kg), while Sri Lanka’s SDSS Wiriduwagle finished fourth with 244kg.
Despite missing out on gold, Rishikanta created history by becoming the first male weightlifter from Manipur to win a Commonwealth Games medal and also the first man from the state to compete in weightlifting at the Games.Manipur has long been recognised as a powerhouse of Indian weightlifting, producing several successful women lifters on the international stage, but Rishikanta’s achievement marks a significant milestone for men’s weightlifting in the state.
The silver medal also capped a remarkable journey for the Indian Army lifter, who overcame financial hardships during his childhood.
Raised in a modest family, with his father working as a daily-wage labourer, Rishikanta progressed through the National Sports Academy in Imphal before earning a place in India’s elite weightlifting programme.
His rise gathered momentum after a record-breaking performance at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships, which established him as one of India’s strongest medal hopes for Glasgow.Speaking after the event, Rishikanta admitted that his objective had been to win gold but the injury ultimately proved decisive.
“I came here for gold. After the snatch I was leading, but my knee created a problem. I could complete the clean but could not generate enough power to push the weight overhead because one thigh was not functioning properly. I gave it my best,” he said.
The lifter revealed that he and his coach opted to secure a medal first rather than risk failing all three attempts while chasing heavier weights.“I told my coach we should first ensure a medal and then try for bigger lifts. I did not want to return empty-handed,” he added.
Although the gold medal slipped away, Rishikanta’s silver not only handed India its first able-bodied medal of the Games but also etched his name into the history books as a trailblazer for Manipuri men’s weightlifting. (PTI)
