CWG 2022: Driven by perseverance, Achinta delivers inspiring performance to bag gold

20-year-old lifter finishes on top of the podium in 73kg weight category in Birmingham to give India their second gold of the day.

India's Achinta Sheuli, center, celebrates with his gold medal as he stands on the podium following the Men's weightlifting 79kg Final. (Photo | AP)

CHENNAI: Even on the day when his younger sibling, Achinta, was about to make his Commonwealth Games debut, Alok didn't hesitate to go back in time and recall their father Jagat Sheuli's death in 2013. He remembered how the tragedy drained them out emotionally and financially.

So much so that they had to borrow money from friends and relatives to perform their father's last rites.A lot has changed since then with Achinta becoming an established weightlifter in the country. Alok, however, feels the incident reminds them of their bitter past and motivates them to stay strong no matter what situation they face.

One such situation arose on Sunday night with the gold medal at stake. And Achinta, given the fighter he is, not only dealt with it head-on but pushed his opponent to the wall to clinch 73kg gold on his maiden appearance at the CWG in Birmingham.

To begin with, he created the Games record in the snatch by lifting 143kg, also his personal best, to lead the field at the break. His nearest rival from Malaysia Erry Hidayat Muhammad with 138kg as his best was five kilograms behind him. The West Bengal lifter extended the lead by one kilogram as he lifted 166kg in his first attempt at the clean and jerk section against the Malaysian's 165kg.

However, Achinta failed to lift 170kg in the next attempt. Given the difference to erase, the Malaysian team registered their lifter's weight at 176kg.The 20-year-old Achinta, however, didn't disappoint in his final attempt as he lifted 170kg to set a Games record of 313kg in the overall lift. The difference proved too much for the Malaysian to erase as he failed to lift 176kg in his last two attempts to finish second. Canada's Shad Darsigny claimed bronze with a total lift of 298kg (135+163).

"They registered 172kg when we lifted 166kg in the first attempt and changed it to 176kg as they were left with no option. We were confident of winning gold and we did it quite comfortably," Vijay Sharma, head coach, told this daily from Birmingham.

Even the brother had asserted that the goal was always to finish on top of the podium. "Given his preparations in the last three years, nothing less than gold can be acceptable. The focus is on the 2024 Olympics and preparations for it will start soon as the qualifying rounds will begin in October this year," he had said.

It was Alok who inspired Achinta to take up weightlifting in the past but given the tragedy they underwent, he had to quit the sport and start earning. Achinta also helped him by doing stitching and embroidery before he got selected for training at the Army Sports Institute in Pune in 2014.
Now it's the turn of Achinta to inspire his brother. "I have also resumed weightlifting and training regularly. I am a daily wager with the Fire and Emergency Services of the state government. I plan to compete in the upcoming nationals," added the brother.

Meanwhile, speaking on his last two attempts in clean and jerk, Achinta said he wanted to break his national record of 173kg, which he set at the Commonwealth Championships last year.

“I was trying to break my own record so a little disappointed, but very happy with the medal. Tried to play it safe to not miss out on gold. For the sacrifices I have made, I want to achieve more. I know I will," he said after winning the medal.

Weightlifter Popy Hazarika finishes seventh

Indian weightlifter Popy Hazarika finished a disappointing seventh in the women's 59kg event at the Commonwealth Games here on Sunday.

The lifter from Assam had a total lift of 183kg (81kg+102kg).

It was the first of the six weightlifting events so far that didn't yield a medal for India.

Rafiatu Folashade Lawal of Nigeria won the gold with an effort of 206 kg (90kg+116kg).

Local favourite Jessica Gordon-Brown clinched the silver with an aggregate of 197kg (86kg+111kg) while Candian weightlifter Tali Darsigny (87kg+109kg) took home the bronze medal.

Hazarika began with a 81kg lift in snatch but couldn't go beyond that weight as she fluffed her next two attempts in the section.

Heading to the clean and jerk, the Indian was already out of medal contention as six In the clean and jerk section also she could manage only one legal lift of 102kg.

lifters had registered a better snatch round than her.

Earlier in the day, Jeremy Lalrinnunga had won a gold medal in men's 67kg.

On Saturday, Sanket Sargar had opened India's account at the Games with a silver with Gururaja Poojary had bagged a bronze.

Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu had bagged the country's first gold.

(With PTI Inputs)