Picture Credit: Twitter
India’s impressive run in weightlifting faced a little hiccup on Day 3 of the 2022 Commonwealth Games as Popy Hazarika failed to record a podium finish in the Women’s 59kg Final. The Indian lifted a total of 183kg (combined in Snatch and Clean & Jerk round) but that did not prove enough to win a medal. Hazarika finished seventh.
After failing to make successful lifts in the last two attempts of the Snatch round, Hazarika made a recovery in the C&J round and lifted 102kg but failed to lift 107kg in her third attempt, resulting in her bowing out of medal contention. It was the first of the six weightlifting events so far that didn't yield a medal for India.
India have won five medals so far and all have come from Weightlifting. While Mirabai Chanu and Jeremy Lalrinnunga won gold medals in their respective events, Sanket Sargar and Bindyarani brought two silver medals. Gururaja Poojary won the bronze medal in the 67kg Men's Final.
Hazarika got a decent start as she comfortably lifted 81kg in her first attempt of the Snatch round. The Indian tried to get a good lead as she tried lifting 84kg in her second attempt. However, it did not work as Hazarika failed to pull it off. Despite failing to lift 84kg in her second attempt, Hazarika tried lifting 86kg in her third attempt but failed again. Therefore, she finished the Snatch round with a lift of 81kg.
In the Clean and Jerk round, Popy had a nervy start as she failed to lift 102kg in her first attempt. However, she recovered in her second attempt successfully lifting 102kg and taking the total to 183kg. She remained in the medal contention for a while but was knocked out shortly after her third attempt in C&J round where she could not lift 107kg.
Rafiatu Folashade Lawal of Nigeria won the gold with an effort of 206 kg (90kg+116kg). Local favourite Jessica Gordon-Brown clinched the silver with an aggregate of 197kg (86kg+111kg) while Canadian weightlifter Tali Darsigny (87kg+109kg) took home the bronze medal.
