Indian lifter Sanket Sargar came agonisingly close to winning the country’s first gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. On course to seal the top spot in the 55kg weightlifting final, he had to settle for silver after faltering in the final stages handing victory to Malaysian Bin Kasdan Mohamad Aniq. Rounding off the top three was Sri Lankan Dilanka Isuru Kumara. The 21-year-old made two unsuccessful lifts, allowing Aniq to edge ahead with a 142 kg lift. Although disappointed by the result, the Sangli-born tyro struggled with a partially dislocated shoulder during the finals.

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An injured shoulder will scupper a lifter’s ability to jerk 100-plus kilos above head high, providing much-needed strength and balance to the lifter. Unfortunately for Sanket, his shoulders gave way at the most inopportune moment. Lifting 135kg in his first attempt, he would succumb twice, attempting 139kg lifts on both occasions. Attending the medal ceremony in a cast, he has to undergo medical in the coming days (if not hours).

Speaking to the media in the aftermath of the final, Sanket revealed that he experienced a snap while attempting a clean-and-jerk in his second attempt:

“I heard a snap-like sound during the second attempt in clean and jerk and dropped the weights. After that my coach had a look at my arm, there was a lot of pain but I had to make the third attempt. I tried to secure the gold, but I could not do it,” quotes Onmanorama.

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A shoulder dislocation occurs when the upper arm bone juts out of the cup-shaped socket, part of the shoulder blade. Despite the injury, disappointment and anger were writ large across his face. Having prepared for over a year, it was a bitter end to a promising Commonwealth debut. Hailing from a family of lifters, he has age on his side as he aims to scale the peaks of the sport.