BackCommonwealth Games: Sathish Sivalingam wins 77kg weightlifting gold
Ravi Katulu's silver and Punam Yadav's bronze in weightlifting consolidated India's position on top of the medals table ahead of Nigeria
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Glasgow: Indian debutant Sathish Sivalingam broke the Commonwealth Games record for the snatch with a mark of 149kg and kept his nerve on the way to gold in the men’s 77kg weightlifting on Sunday.
His rivals had brief hopes in the clean and jerk, but his second lift of 179kg sealed a total of 328kg and India’s fifth weightlifting gold of the Games.
“This gold medal means everything to me. My father, who was a national lifter as well, always drove me to the gym. It’s a dream come true," said the champion.
Teammate Ravi Katulu’s silver with 317kg consolidated India’s position on top of the medals table ahead of Nigeria.
Francois Etoundi came from down the field, adding 7kg to his final clean and jerk to jump into what would prove to be a bronze finish, knocking England’s Jack Oliver into fourth.
Nigeria’s Olauwatoyin Adesanmi won the women’s 63kg gold medal.
The African championship silver medallist pushed Commonwealth number one and compatriot Obioma Okoli into the silver position.
“I respect her so much, but she was carrying an injury," said Adesanmi who had finished on a total of 207kg at the Clyde Auditorium, the same as Okoli.
Okoli had needed to lift 123kg in the final clean and jerk—6kg more than her previous successful attempt—to overtake Adesanmi but failure to do so left her with silver, as she weighed 0.99kg more than her 22-year-old teammate.
India’s Punam Yadav, the youngest lifter at 19, took bronze with 202kg but admitted it had been a struggle to even make it to Glasgow.
“My father has a small farm and we were very short of money for competing at the Games. My uncle has funded my whole Commonwealth Games trip and both of my sisters are weightlifters," said the teenager.
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