Weightlifting
Commonwealth Weightlifting C'ships: N Ajith, Ajay Singh wins gold
Asian Games bound N Ajith (73 kg) was crowned champion while Ajay Singh (81 kg) won gold at Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships.
Ajay Singh and N Ajith lived up to the expectations and were crowned the 73 kg and 81 kg champions at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships on Friday.
World Championships and Asian Games bound, Ajith lifted a total of 308 kg, which was 22kg more than his nearest rival -- Jonathan Chin of England (286kg) -- who clinched the silver.
Ajith, who will be competing at the World Championships in September, is also in the running for an Olympic berth.
However, it will be a tall task for the 23-year-old reigning national champion, who is currently 32nd in the senior men's ranking list, to make the cut for the Paris Games.
Ajith's best effort in the ranking period is the 307kg he lifted at the Asian Championships while Japan's Masanori Miyamoto leads the list with a best effort of 344kg.
The weightlifter from Tamil Nadu is very hopeful of increasing his personal best at the two upcoming events in September where he will be up against some of the best in the world.
On the other hand, Ajay Singh completed his hattrick of gold medals in the Commonwealth Championships in 81 kg with a total effort of 306 kg (136 kg+170 kg)
Ajay who missed out on a medal in Commonwealth Games 2022 by 1 kg is returning from an injury and had missed the Asian Games trials.
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Harjinder Kaur was the third Indian medallist in the senior category.
The Punjab lifter won the silver medal in the women's 71 kg after heaving 211kg (91kg+120kg). She finished behind Australian Jacqueline Nichele, whose gold medal effort was 216kg (94kg+122kg).
