Ajaya Babu, Bedabrat win gold with record lifts

Ahmedabad, Aug 28 (PTI) Seasoned campaigner Ajaya Babu Valluri and young lifter Bedabrat Bharali produced record-breaking performances to clinch gold medals at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships, here Thursday.

In the senior men's 79kg, National Games champion Ajaya lifted a total of 335kg, including a championship record 152kg in snatch and 183kg in clean and jerk.

After fouling his first attempt at 148kg, he lifted the same weight in his second before raising it to 152kg, eclipsing the previous snatch record of 147kg set by Nigeria's Edidiong Joseph Umoafia.

In clean and jerk, he steadily went up from 176kg to 180kg before completing his final record-breaking lift of 183kg for a 335kg total.

Valluri had also won gold at last year's edition but in the higher 81kg category.

India added another medal in the women's section with 2022 CWG bronze medallist Harjinder Kaur settling for bronze in the 69kg.

She managed 95kg in snatch and 123kg in clean and jerk for a total of 222kg.

After fouling her opening attempt at 99kg, Harjinder cleared 95kg in the second but failed again at 99kg.

In clean and jerk, only her second attempt at 123kg stood as she faltered at 123kg and 128kg in her other lifts.

In the junior men's 79kg, Bharali registered record lifts across snatch, clean and jerk and total to clinch gold with 326kg with record performances in all three.

He improved steadily from 138kg to 142kg and finally 145kg in snatch, going past the previous record of 139kg. In clean and jerk, he lifted 173kg, 177kg and then 181kg, surpassing the earlier record of 169kg.

His total of 326kg also bettered the championship mark of 307kg.

India also had a silver medal through Grishma Thorat in the youth women's 77kg. She lifted 79kg in snatch and 99kg in clean and jerk for a total of 178kg.

The event, however, was dominated by Samoa’s Seine Stowers, who broke her own meet record with a 102kg snatch and finished with a total of 229kg.

Results (Indians unless specified) Women's 69kg: 1. Islamiyat Adebukola Yusuf (Nigeria; snatch 105kg + clean and jerk 131kg = total 236kg); 2. Olivia Selemaia (NZ; (104+127=223); 3. Harjinder Kaur (95+123=222).

Women's 77kg: 1. Sarah Matthew (Nigeria; 108+128=236); 2. Seine Stowers (Samoa; 102+127=229); 3. Rosalie Dumas (Canada; 101+123=224).

Youth, women's 77kg: 1. Saine Stowers (Samoa; 102+127=229); 2. Grishma Thorat (79+99=178); Vimansa Kavindi Kalu Kotage (Sri Lanka; 58+70=128).

Junior, women's 77kg: 1. Sarah Ovayioza Matthew (Nigeria; 108+128=236); 2. Seine Stowers (Samoa; 102+127=229); 3. Georgia Theron (NZ; 96+121=217).

Senior, men's 79kg: 1. Ajaya Babu Valluri (152+183=335); 2. Muhammad Erry Hidayat (Malaysia; 150+183=333); 3. Adedapo Adeleke Opadeji (Nigeria; 141+165=306).

Junior, men's 79kg: 1. Bedabrat Bharali (145+181=326); 2. Kyle Franklin Itsimaera (NRU; 123+153=276); 3. Santiago Sanchez (Canada; 118+157=275). PTI TAP AT AT