XtraTime Web Desk: Reigning world champion Mirabai Chanu gave India the first gold in weightlifting at the XXI Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast on Thursday. Chanu did the country proud in the 48kg category. In doing so Chanu smashed the Commonwealth Games’ weightlifting record by lifting 196 kg. The previous Games’ record was 175 kg set by Augustine Nwaokolo of Nigeria in 2010.
In fact Chanu also broke the Games record in clean and jerk, as she started at 103 kg and went on to lift 107 kg and 110 kg successfully.
Eventually Chanu broke six records in six lifts to finish first in the women’s 48 kg with a combined effort of 196kg to smash her previous career best of 194kg.
It was Chanu’s second medal in Commonwealth Games following the silver she won in Glasgow four years ago,
Marie Ranaivosoa of Mauritius claimed silver with a total lift of 170kg (76 in snatch and 94 in clean & jerk) and bronze went to Sri Lanka’s Dinusha Gomes claimed silver with a total lift of 155 (70 in snatch, 85 in clean & jerk).
Earlier in the day P Gururaja gave India its first medal by winning a silver in the men’s 56kg category.