Jeremy Lalrinnunga battles injury to clinch India’s 2nd gold at Commonwealth Games 2022, creates new record

19-year-old weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga produced a brave performance in the men’s 67kg category at the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2022 to extend India’s dominance in weightlifting at the showpiece event. Lalrinnunga clinched gold with a record overall lift of 300 kg to bag the country’s second gold medal at the CWG 2022 so far.

Lalrinnunga went for a solid 140 kg lift in the snatch round and managed to successfully pull it off to gain a healthy lead of 10 kg over his nearest rival in the final ahead of the clean and jerk round. He ended up getting injured during the clean and jerk round but managed to lift an impressive 160 kg to finish on top of the podium.

Lalrinnunga also suffered from muscle cramps during the final but battled them to emerge victorious. He attempted to lift 165 kg in the clean and jerk round but ended up failing after suffering a muscle cramp. The 19-year-old was seen reeling in pain as he went down on the floor.

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However, he braved the injury to return and complete a successful lift of 160 kg which was enough to secure his gold on his debut at the Commonwealth Games. He had set a Games record with his 160 kg lift in the snatch round and his 200 kg overall lift is also a record at the Commonwealth Games so far in the men’s 67kg category.

Samoa’s Vaipava Ione finished second behind Larinnunga with 293 kg overall to bag silver while Nigeria’s Edidong Umoafia won the bronze medal with a total lift of 290 kg in the men’s 67kg category on Sunday. Larinnunga was not the strongest contender but one of the favourites to win gold after winning a gold medal at the Commonwealth Championships last year.

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The 19-year-old delivered a performance for the ages in the final despite the injury to add another gold to India’s tally at the competition. India have so far won two gold medals at the Games and both have come in weightlifting. Mirabai Chanu had clinched the country’s first gold medal in women’s 49kg category on Saturday. India have now won a total of 5 medals at the Commonwealth Games 2022 so far.