World Weightlifting Championships 2021: India’s Bindyarani Devi wins clean and jerk gold
Bindyarani Devi, along with Guru Raja, also won silver medals in their respective categories at the Commonwealth Championships, which are being held concurrently.
Indian weightlifter Bindyarani Devi Sorokhaibam won the gold medal in the clean and jerk category at the World Weightlifting Championships 2021 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on Thursday.
The 22-year-old Bindyarani Devi lifted an impressive 114kg clean and jerk in the 55kg women’s category to win top honours at the world meet. She also managed to lift 84kg in snatch for a total of 198kg to stand fourth on the overall leaderboard.
Along with the yellow metal, Bindyarani Devi also took home the silver in the Commonwealth Championships 2021, which are being held concurrently with the worlds. She was bested by Nigeria’s Adijat Olarinoye, who pulled off an overall effort of 203kg (90+113).
In the world event, Tunisia’s Ghofrane Belkhir bagged the gold in snatch with a 92kg lift and also stood on top in the combined leaderboard for a total effort of 203kg (92+111). Adijat Olarinoye won overall silver (203kg) while Slovakia’s Svitlana Samuliak won bronze (201kg).
Later, Guru Raja won the silver medal in the men's 61kg among Commonwealth nations with a total of 265kg (117+148). He was eighth on the overall world leaderboard.
South Korea’s Shin Rok was declared the new world champion as he lifted the heaviest in all three categories - 132kg in snatch and 156kg in clean and jerk to total 288kg.
Malaysia’s Muhamad Aznil Bidin, who managed to lift 273kg (120+153), won the Commonwealth gold to qualify directly for the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham.
Next up is the men’s 67kg and 73kg which will be held on Friday. India’s top medal prospect Jeremy Lalrinnunga will be in action.