Glasgow, Jul 30: India’s Lovepreet Singh shattered the Commonwealth Games snatch record and came agonisingly close to gold before finishing just a kilogram behind New Zealand’s David Andrew Liti to claim silver in the men’s +110kg weightlifting competition here on Thursday.
The 28-year-old totalled 388kg (176kg in snatch and 212kg in clean and jerk), was pipped by Liti, who clinched gold with 389kg (166kg+223kg) after a Games record lift in clean and jerk.
England’s Andrew Griffith claimed bronze with a distant 356kg (165kg+191kg).
A bronze medallist at the previous edition, Lovepreet went one better this time, ending India’s run of three medal-less weightlifting events and capping a successful campaign for the contingent, which finished with eight medals — one gold, six silver and one bronze.
Hailing from Bal Sikander village in Punjab’s border district of Amritsar, Lovepreet comes from a humble family. His father is a tailor, while his grandfather earned a living selling vegetables. Encouraged by his family to pursue sport instead of the family profession, he took up weightlifting at the age of 13 at the DAV Ground and has since emerged as one of India’s leading heavyweight lifters.
“I thought I would win gold after snatch but it was up to god. Little disappointed that I couldn’t lift in my final attempt in clean and jerk, I have lifted more in training,” Lovepreet said after his silver-winning effort.
The Punjab lifter was in sublime touch in the snatch, opening with a comfortable 168kg before effortlessly raising the bar to 173kg.
He then smashed the Games record with a flawless 176kg in his third attempt, taking a commanding 10kg lead into the clean and jerk.
The early exit of Samoa’s fancied Sanele Mao, who failed all three attempts at 175kg in the snatch, further strengthened Lovepreet’s position as he emerged the favourite for gold.
But Liti mounted a remarkable comeback in the clean and jerk.
The New Zealander began with 207kg to reduce the deficit before Lovepreet successfully matched his personal best of 212kg in his second attempt.
Roared on by chants of “Come on Jatta” and “Come on Singh”, Lovepreet opted for a bold 217kg in his final attempt, a lift that would have broken the Games record and secured gold.
He managed to clean the weight but could not summon enough strength to jerk it overhead.
That opened the door for Liti, who produced a massive 223kg, a new Games record in clean and jerk, to snatch the gold by the slimmest of margins. (PTI)
