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

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

 

19- time-old weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga produced a stalwart performance in the men’s 67 kg order at the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2022 to extend India’s dominance in toning at the showpiece event. Lalrinnunga settled gold with a record overall lift of 300 kg to bag the country’s alternate gold order at the CWG 2022 so far. 

Lalrinnunga went for a solid 140 kg lift in the catch 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 haul round. He ended up getting injured during the clean and haul round but managed to lift an emotional 160 kg to finish on top of the tribune. 

 

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

Still, he brazened 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'd set a Games record with his 160 kg lift in the catch round and his 200 kg overall lift is also a record at the Commonwealth Games so far in the men’s 67 kg order. 

Samoa’s Vaipava Ione finished second behind Larinnunga with 293 kg overall to bag tableware while Nigeria’s Edidong Umoafia won the citation order with a total lift of 290 kg in the men's 67 kg order on Sunday. Larinnunga wasn't the strongest contender but one of the favourites to win gold after winning a gold order at the Commonwealth Crowns last time. 

 

The 19- time-old delivered a performance for the periods in the final despite the injury to add another gold to India's census at the competition. India have so far won two gold orders at the Games and both have come in toning. Mirabai Chanu had settled the country's first gold order in women's 49 kg order on Saturday. India have now won a aggregate of 5 orders at the Commonwealth Games 2022 so far.