Lifter Gururaja wins India’s first medal at CWG 2018

TIL Desk Sports/ Weightlifter Gururaja Poojary opened India’s medal tally on the first day of competition at the 21st Commonwealth Games, claiming silver in the men’s 56 kg category, on Thursday.

The 25-year-old Indian Air Force man equalled his personal best of 249kg (111+138), which was good enough to finish second in a field which saw Malaysia’s three-time Commonwealth Championships medallist Muhammad Izhar Ahmed (117+144) break the Games record for snatch and overall lift. The bronze went to Sri Lanka’s Lakmal Chaturanga (114+134).

“I am very happy to have opened India’s medal account in the Games. It was nowhere close to being my best performance but I am glad that it was enough to get me a silver medal,” said Gururaja.

“I didn’t quite understand why my second lift was not declared valid. It was disallowed for a very minor movement of the arm. Had it been allowed I could have gone for a higher lift and perhaps target gold. Still I am happy. The medals for the last three years have been rotating among the three of us,” added the diminutive lifter from Karnataka.