Day 2 Weightlifting: Manipur Leads Medal Tally with 2 gold and 2 bronze, Bindyarani and N.Ajith shine

The second day of weightlifting at the National Games 2024 witnessed thrilling performances, record-breaking lifts, and intense competition across five categories. Star lifters lived up to their reputations, while emerging talents made their mark on the national stage.

Women’s 55kg: Bindyarani Devi Creates History

S. Bindyarani Devi of Manipur delivered a dominant performance, clinching the gold medal while setting a new national record in the snatch category. After an unsuccessful first attempt at 83kg, she lifted 88kg in her final attempt. The Commonwealth silver medalist continued her form in clean and jerk, successfully lifting 107kg in her first attempt before failing at 112kg. She rebounded strongly to lift 113kg, finishing with a total lift of 201kg—just one kilogram short of her own national record. With this victory, she now holds all three national records (snatch, clean & jerk, and total) in the women’s 55kg category, making it a memorable National Games for her.

Sharabani Das of Bengal secured the silver medal with a total of 187kg, while L. Nilam Devi of Manipur won bronze with a total of 182kg.

Men’s 67kg: Neelam Raju Dominates

K. Neelam Raju of Andhra Pradesh secured gold with a total lift of 289kg. Despite failing in his first snatch attempt of 124kg, he recovered to lift 128kg. His clean and jerk performance was flawless, with successful lifts of 154kg, 158kg, and 161kg.

Markio Tario of Arunachal Pradesh took silver with a total lift of 283kg, while Siddhanta Gogoi of Assam won bronze with a best snatch of 123kg and a clean and jerk lift of 158kg.

Women’s 59kg: Rima Bhoi Claims Gold

Odisha’s Rima Bhoi dominated the women’s 59kg category with a total lift of 189kg. She registered 84kg in snatch and 105kg in clean and jerk before skipping her final attempt.

Sneha of Haryana won silver with a total lift of 187kg, while Balo Yalam of Arunachal Pradesh took bronze with the same total weight. Sneha was awarded silver as she reached the total weight first.

Men’s 73kg: N. Ajith Completes National Games Hat-Trick

Commonwealth gold medalist N. Ajith continued his dominance in weightlifting, winning his third consecutive National Games gold medal. He lifted 140kg in snatch after an initial failure at 136kg. In clean and jerk, he began with a strong 166kg to secure victory.

Haryana’s Deepak Lather pushed Ajith to the limit, leading after the snatch category with a 141kg lift. However, he struggled in clean and jerk, finishing with a total of 301kg to settle for silver.

Lalhunthara of the Services Sports Control Board clinched bronze with a total lift of 293kg, dramatically lifting 167kg in his final attempt.

Women’s 64kg: Nirumpa Devi Triumphs

Manipur’s Nirumpa Devi, a Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship gold medalist, delivered an exceptional performance to win gold with a total of 209kg. She registered 91kg in snatch and 118kg in clean and jerk.

Assam’s Ditimoni Sonowal came close, lifting a total of 208kg, while Manipur’s Roshilata Devi secured bronze with 196kg.

Medal Tally by State

1.         Manipur – 2 Gold, 2 Bronze

2.         Andhra Pradesh – 1 Gold

3.         Odisha – 1 Gold

4.         Tamil Nadu- 1 Gold

5.         Haryana – 2 Silver

6.         Assam – 1 Silver, 1 Bronze

7.         Arunachal Pradesh – 1 Silver, 1 Bronze

8.         Bengal – 1 Silver

9.         Services Sports Control Board – 1 Bronze

A Day of High-Intensity Lifting

Day 2 of the weightlifting competition was marked by record-breaking lifts, inspiring performances, and close contests. With athletes pushing their limits, the National Games 2024 continues to showcase India’s best weightlifters on the national stage.