Weightlifting gold rush continues, Punam claims 5th for India

Earlier Mirabai Chanu (48kg), Sanjita Chanu (53kg), Sathish Sivalingam (77kg) and Venkat Rahul Ragala (85kg) had claimed gold medals.

India’s Punam Yadav competes during the women’s 69 kg final at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonweatlh Games on Sunday.

The gold rush continued in weightlifting for India as Punam Yadav added a fifth to the tally with a top finish in the 69kg category of the 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast on Sunday.

Yadav, a bronze-medallist from the 2014 Glasgow edition, lifted 222kg (110kg+122kg) to claim gold ahead of England’s Sarah Davies, who finshed with 217kg (95kg+122kg).

The Englishwoman went for a 128kg lift in her final clean and jerk attempt in pursuit of gold but could not complete it and dropped the bar.

Yadav had claimed a silver at last year’s Commonwealth Championships last year, her first event after making the jump from 63kg to 69kg category.

The bronze medal was won by Fiji’s Apolonia Vaivai with an effort of 216kg (100kg+116kg).

Earlier Mirabai Chanu (48kg), Sanjita Chanu (53kg), Sathish Sivalingam (77kg) and Venkat Rahul Ragala (85kg) had claimed gold medals in the ongoing edition.