Renu Bala wins gold in 58 kg weightlifting, Sudhir bags bronze

Melbourne, Mar 18 (UNI) Holding her nerves and displaying tremendous maturity, Renu Bala Yumnam Chanu lifted 185 kg to claim country's second gold in weightlifting while fellow Sudhir Kumar Chitradurga bagged a bronze on a fruitful day for Indian lifters in the Commonwealth Games here today.

Renu Bala's statemate from Manipur N Kunjarani Devi had won the first weightlifting gold for the country here in 48 kg category on Thursday.

Renu Bala was a clear seven Kg ahead of her immediate Canadian rival Beth Emily Quarton who lifted 178 kg for the silver.

Australian Jane Natasha Barkar also lifted 178 but lost to Quarton on body weight to finish third for a bronze. The body weight difference between the Canadian and the Australian was just 30 grams.

Later, 27-year old Sudhir kumar lifted 287 to finish third for bronze in men's 68 kg category. Australian Benjamin turner won the gold with a lift of 294 (128 in snatch and 166 in clean and jerk) favourite Muhammad Hidayat totalled 293 kg (130 and 163) to bag the silver.

Sudhir improved upon his 280 kg performance at last year's Commonwealth championship by lifting 129 in snatch. He failed in his attempt for 131 kg and then had a second lift of 158 in clean and jerk to total 287 to end the day for the country with a bronze medal.

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