GLASGOW: On Thursday, weightlifter Sukhen Dey etched himself in the annals of India’s sporting history by buckling gold in men’s 56kg category of Commonwealth Games. Hitherto little known, though the owner of a CWG silver, the 25-year-old showed remarkable poise and perfection to land the medal that might change his life forever.
He lifted a total of 248kg, despite playing catch-up at the halfway snatch stage. However, he riposted strongly in the clean and jerk to guarantee the gold. Dey recounts his experience, “When I had no lift in snatch, I really felt scared and then I thought I should not fail this time,” he said.
He did not. With a 109kg in the snatch and 139 in the clean and jerk, he shot to the top. Dey later admitted that he wanted to play it safe. “I just did not go for any record. When I realised that the medal was secured I took a shot at 146kg again in the final attempt in clean and jerk.”
This time he failed. But the gold was firmly in his clutch. Dey later termed this the best achievement of his career. “I have won a bronze in junior World Championships, then a silver in 2010 CWG before today’s gold. I lost out on gold in Delhi because of a technical mistake. Now my target is to do well in the Asian Games,” Dey said.
His compatriot Ganesh Mali, a havildar in the Indian Army, churned out bronze.