Sanket Mahadev Sargar bags India's first medal in CWG 2022

Story by IANS | Posted by Tripti Nath | Date 30-07-2022

Sanket Mahadev Sargar bags India's first medal in CWG

Birmingham

Indian weightlifter Sanket Mahadev Sargar on Saturday won a silver medal in men's 55kg category at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The 21-year-old, hailing from Sangli in Maharashtra, managed a total lift of 248kg (113kg in snatch and 135 kg in clean & jerk) to open India's account in the ongoing multi-nation event.

Sargar said he would dedicate his silver medal to the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations currently on in the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Sanket Sargar for bagging the sliver medal in 55 kg Category Weightlifting in the Commonwealth Games 2022.The Prime Minister tweeted, “Exceptional effort by Sanket Sargar! His bagging the prestigious Silver is a great start for India at the Commonwealth Games. Congratulations to him and best wishes for all future, endeavours.”

Malaysia's Mohamad Aniq Bin Kasdan won the gold medal with a total lift of 249kg (107 + 142, a Games record in clean & jerk), while Sri Lanka's Dilanka Isuru Kumara Yodage took the

bronze medal with an overall lift of 225kg (105 + 120) in the competition.

This could easily have been a gold medal for India as Sargar, who comes from a farming family, had started brilliantly in snatch and took a handy lead. He looked in control after lifting 135kg in his first attempt in clean and jerk but failed at 139kg in his next two attempts, injuring his right forearm during the second lift.

Sargar attended the medal ceremony with his hand in a cast and will go for a medical later. "I heard a snap-like sound during the second attempt in clean and jerk and dropped the weights. After that my coach had a look at my arm, there was a lot of pain but I had to make the third attempt. I tried to secure the gold, but i could not do it,"

Sargar told the media with the silver medal around his neck."I am very disappointed and angry as I lost the gold medal. I had prepared and worked so hard for the gold medal but unfortunately, this injury prevented me from claiming gold," said Sargar after his event.

At the first hall of the National Exhibition Centre, Sargar began with a 107kg lift in his first attempt in the snatch phase of the competition. He later improved that with a 111kg lift and ended with a 113kg lift, which put him in an advantageous position through a six kg lead at the end of snatch lifts In the clean & jerk round, Sanket began with a successful lift of 135kg while Aniq and Yodage had successful lifts of 138kg and 120kg respectively. But in the process of clearing 139kg in his second attempt, Sanket injured his right elbow. Cheered on by the crowd, he tried to have a successful lift in third attempt but he grimaced in pain and couldn't complete the lift.

In a thrilling finish to the finale, Aniq failed to lift 142kg in his second attempt. But in his third and final attempt, he finally managed to lift 142kg to set a Games record in the round and take the gold medal, pushing Sargar to silver medal with just one kg separating the duo on the table.