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Commonwealth Games: Gururaja Poojary from Karnataka wins India's first medal

  • Gururaja Poojary from Kundapur in Karnataka has won the first medal for India in the 2018 Commonwealth Games
  • Gururaja won the silver in weightlifting in the 56kg category
  • In the first two attempts in the game, Gururaja failed to lift the weight as against the expectations, but tables turned in the third attempt
  • Gururaja is the son of a truck driver and is currently serving in the Indian Air Force
Gururaja Poojary from Karnataka wins first medal for India in Commonwealth Games

Gururaja Poojary of Kundapur in Karnataka has won the first medal for Indian in the 2018 Commonwealth Games. He won the silver in weightlifting in the 56 kg category.

Gururaja, 25, won the second place by lifting 249 kg (111+134). Gururaja is the son of a truck driver and is currently serving in the Indian Air Force.

In the first two attempts in the game, Gururaja failed to lift the weight as against the expectations. 

“After I failed the first two attempts, my coach reminded me how much my life depends on this. I remembered my family and my country,” he told the Hindustan Times, adding. “My family was on my mind when I failed the two attempts in clean and jerk, it meant a lot to me."

VIDEO: Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu clinches first gold for India in Commonwealth Games

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