The Indian weightlifting team added another medal to its list at the Commonwealth Games on Sunday with Bindyarani Devi clinching a bronze medal in the women’s 58kg final.This is India’s fifth weightlifting medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Earlier, Mirabai Chanu (women’s 48kg – gold medal), Rishikantha Singh (men’s 60kg – silver medal), Muthupandy Raja (men’s 65kg – silver medal) and Gyaneshwari Yadav (women’s 53kg – silver medal) had also reached the podium in their respective categories.Powerlifting consists of two events – the snatch and the clean and jerk – and each lifter is allowed three attempts in both events.In the snatch, the athlete lifts the barbell from the ground to overhead in one continuous motion with a wide grip. In the clean and jerk, they first raise the barbell to their shoulders (clean and jerk), pause, and then raise it overhead (clean and jerk), holding it steady until the buzzer sounds.Bindiyalani lifted 87 kg in the snatch competition and finished third. Nigeria’s Lafiatu Folashad led the way with 103 kg, and Canada’s Ann Sophie was second with 83 kg.In the clean and jerk, Bindyalani successfully lifted 112 kg. However, Rafi Atul retained his lead and won the gold medal in the 122kg category, while the Indian weightlifter bagged the bronze medal.Bindialani’s total score was 199kg (87kg in snatch + 112g in clean and jerk), but it was Nigeria’s Lafiatu Folashad who stole the show with an astonishing 225kg (103kg + 122kg), rewriting Commonwealth and Commonwealth Games records and winning the gold medal.Canada’s Ann Sophie won the silver medal in the 215kg category (94+121)This is India’s fourth weightlifting medal at the CWG and sixth medal won by India at the powerlifting championships.
