Commonwealth Games 2014: Lifters Sukhen, Sanjita Win Gold as India Make Rousing Start
India began their Commonwealth Games 2014 campaign with a bang, winning seven medals on the opening day at Glasgow.
Sukhen Dey and K Sanjita Chanu stole the limelight by clinching a gold each in weightlifting, as India launched their campaign in the 20th Commonwealth Games with a flourish, winning seven medals in all on the opening day of the competitions in glasgow. (CWG Day 1 Highlights | Schedule | Medals Tally)
Judokas Navjot Chana and Shushila Likmabam had to be contend with a silver medal each after they failed to clear the final hurdle in the men's 60kg and women's 48kg events, respectively. (India thrash Ghana in mixed team badminton)
There was a bronze for for another judoka, Kalpana Thoudam. In weightlifting, there was a silver medal for S Mirabai Chanu, while Ganaesh Mali bagged a bronze. (India women's hockey team beats Canada 4-2)
The paddlers, shuttlers and squash players had easy outings on the first day, with both badminton and table teams posting convincing wins. (Glasgow will be my last Commonwealth Games: Abhinav Bindra)
It was a display of overwhelming domination in 48kg women's weightlifting by the Indians as apart from Sanjita's gold, S Mirabai Chanu bagged the silver medal to make it a one-two for last edition's hosts. (Mo Farah pulls out of CWG 2014 due to fitness concern)
In the men's 56kg contest, the 25-year-old Dey lifted a total of 248kg (109139) after trailing at the halfway snatch stage, but came back strongly in clean and jerk to win the gold and cap a remarkable day for the Indians at the Clyde Auditorium. (Where is my Olympic money? Asks angry Saina Nehwal)
In women's 48kg weightlifting, Sanjita won with a total lift of 173kg (7796), while Mirabai grabbed the silver with a cumulative effort of 170 (7595) in the absence of other strong competitors. 21-year-old Mali was leading after snatch but slipped behind in clean and jerk to settle for bronze with a total lift of 244kg (111133).
Malaysia's Mohd Pisol Zulheimi was at fourth after snatch but recovered in fine fashion to bag the silver with a total lift of 245kg (108137).
Meanwhile, Australia's female swimmers set a new 4x100m freestyle relay world record of 3min 30:98sec as they retained their Commonwealth Games title in style. Lifter Sanjita's total of 173kg missed the Games record, held in the name of 2010 CWG gold winner Augustina Nkem Nwaokolo (175kg effort), by two kilograms. Sanjita's 77kg effort in snatch, however, equalled Nwaokolo's CWG record.
The contest was all but over at the halfway snatch stage with 20-year-old Sanjita and 19-year-old Mirabai lifting 77kg and 75kg.