Commonwealth Games silver medalist weightlifter Pradeep Singh rewrote history on Thursday as he bettered his snatch record to win the gold medal in the ongoing National Weightlifting Championship that is being held at Khudiram Anusilan Kendra in Kolkata.
Pradeep, who had heaved 150 kg in snatch and 201 kg in clean and jerk for a combined weight of 351 kg at the Asian Championships in Ningbo, China in 2019, bettered his snatch record by one kilo to lift 151 kg in his third attempt in Snatch.
He lifted a total of 346 kg with 195 kg in clean and jerk in the second attempt after lifting 185 kg in the first attempt in clean and jerk. Pradeep, who plays for the railways and had bagged a bronze in the previous edition of the national championship with a total lift of 321 kg, failed to improve his clean and jerk and total records, as he heaved 203kg in his concluding effort but could not achieve the target.
Shubham finished second on the podium with a total lift of 325 kg (145+180 kg). Ashutosh Kumar Singh of Uttrakhand settled for bronze with a total lift of 316kg (140kg+176kg)
Vikas Thakur of Himachal Pradesh won the title in the 96 kg weight category by lifting a total weight of 346 kg with 154 in snatch and 192 kg in clean and jerk. However, Rahul’s effort in the national championship fell 3kg short of equaling the weight he had lifted at the Asian championships last year. The Himachal lifter who represents services had upheld 152kg and 197kg in the two segments in the continental event.
The performance by Pradeep and Vikas was appreciated by the national coach Vijay Sharma who said,
“Both Pardeep and Vikas are peaking nicely for the Asian championships in Kazakhstan in April. They are at about 90 percent of their ability, and we expect some good results from them this time.”
Among women, Deepika Handa (76 kg) became the champion by lifting a total weight of 205 kg from 92 in Snatch and 119 kg in Clean & Jerk and 211 kg in Shrishti Singh (81 kg) Snatch and 112 kg in Clean & Jerk.
