The 21-year-old Indian weightlifter Sanket Sargar opened up India’s medal tally in the Commonwealth Games 2022 (Birmingham 2022) with a silver medal.
Last Saturday (30th July), during the men’s 55 kg weightlifting event, Sanket successfully lifted a total of 248 kg (113 kg + 135 kg), which was one kg less than the gold medalist Malaysian Bin Kasdan Mohamad Aniq (249 kg, 107 kg + 142 kg).
During the snatch category, Sanket finished on top by successfully lifting 113 kg. In the clean & jerk, Sanket first successfully lifted 135 kg. His second attempt in that clean & jerk category was 139 kg, where he was injured at the last moment as he had a failed attempt.
Despite his injury, Sanket once again attempted 139 kg, but the injured Indian weightlifter couldn’t achieve further success.
The gold medalist Aniq lifted 107 kg in the snatch. In the clean & jerk category, he lifted 142 kg in the second and third attempts after successfully managing to lift 138 kg in the first attempt. Though he failed in the second attempt in the clean & jerk, he successfully lifted 142 kg at the end, which is the new CWG record. In the end, the 20-year-old Malaysian had a total of 249 kg to win the gold medal.
Sri Lankan Dilanka Isuru Kumara Yodage won the bronze medal in that event with a total of 225 kg (105 kg in snatch + 120 kg in clean & jerk).
Who is Sanket Sargar?
Sanket Sargar is a son of a tea stall owner. He was born on 16th October 2000 in Sangli village, Nagpur, Maharashtra.
During the Khelo India Univesity Games 2020, Sanket created a national record with his successful attempt of 138 kg in clean and jerk.
In Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2021, Sanket set a new national record in snatch category of lifting 113 kg.
Sanket is also holding the Commonwealth record in Men’s 55 kg total (256 kg) as well as clean & jerk (143 kg). He created both those records at Singapore Weightlifting International 2021.
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