Indian weightlifter Sanket Sargar became the first athlete to give the country a medal at the Commonwealth Games 2022, as he won the silver medal at the 55 kg category on Saturday. The 21-year-old weightlifter, who hails from Sangli in Maharashtra, lifted a total weight of 248 kg to help India clinch its first medal in the ongoing edition.

The young Indian lifter began the snatch category successfully with 107kg in the first attempt. He continued by lifting 111kg and 113kg respectively in the second and third attempts. This meant that his third lift of 113kg was considered as his best attempt in snatch.

Also Read: Why India’s Commonwealth medal hunt will be led by weightlifters

Sargar opened his account in the Clean & Jerk category with a successful 135kg lift. However, he picked up an injury in the second attempt while trying to lift 139kg, which forced him to become unable to lift in the third attempt as well.  

Sanket Sargar’s closest rivals, Malaysian lifter Mohamad Aniq bin Kasdan clinched the gold medal with 249kg total lift, while Sri Lankan athlete Dilanka Isuru Kumara Yodage clinched the bronze medal with 225kg.

Weightlifting has been India’s second most successful discipline at the Commonwealth Games, after shooting. The discipline has brought India 125 medals since the 1966 edition, when the nation won its first-ever weightlifting medal at the mega-event.

Also Read: Commonwealth Games 2022, day 3 Preview, schedule and timing in India

It was also India’s third-most successful discipline at the previous edition of the CWG in Gold Coast, Australia, clinching five gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

Other Indian weightlifters like Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (8 pm IST), Gururaja Poojary (4:15 pm IST) and Bindyarani Devi (12:30 am IST) will also be competing in medal rounds later in the day.