Mirabai misses bronze, teen Jeremy breaks 15 records

Ningbo (China), April 21

Former world champion Mirabai Chanu produced her personal best but missed out on the podium by a whisker, while Youth Olympics gold medallist Jeremy Lalrinnunga went on a record-smashing spree at the Asian Weightlifting Championship.

The 24-year-old Mirabai lifted 86kg in snatch and a personal best of 113kg in clean and jerk for a total of 199kg in the women’s 49kg event to finish fourth. Her earlier personal best total in 49kg was 192kg. Jhilli Dalabehera opened India’s medal account when she claimed a silver medal in the women’s 45kg category. However, it is not an Olympics weight category.

Mirabai’s miss

Mirabai missed the bronze as China’s Zhang Rong with the same total of 199kg (88kg+111kg) finished third under rules that came into effect in 2017. Under these rules, the competitor who has a higher snatch result is ranked higher in the final classification. The gold medal went to Hou Zhihui of China, who produced a sensational effort of 208kg (92kg+116kg) while North Korea’s Ri Song-gum clinched the silver with 200kg (86kg+114kg) in the gold level Olympics qualifier.

After clearing 86kg in snatch, Mirabai began the clean and jerk category with 109kg and then lifted 113kg successfully. But the Manipuri then failed to lift 115kg in her third attempt, and that proved costly. 

Lalrinnunga shines

Lalrinnunga gave a power-packed performance, smashing the youth world and Asian records in snatch, clean and jerk and total lift with an effort of 297kg (134kg+163kg). He was placed second in Group B behind Pakistan’s Talha Talib, who lifted 304kg (140kg+164kg). The final standings for the event will surface after the Group A competition on Monday.

The Mizoram weightlifter pulled off clean lifts in two of his three attempts in snatch (130kg, 134kg) to break his own youth world record. His earlier youth world record was 131kg, set in Thailand in February. He then twice lifted more than double his body weight (157kg, 163kg) in two successful attempts in clean and jerk. In the process he obliterated Kazakhstan weightlifter Saikhan Taisuyev’s youth world record of 161kg. Lalrinnunga had won gold in the Buenos Aires Youth Olympics in October last year in the 62kg category with a total lift of 274kg (124+150).

Jhilli lifted 162kg (71kg+91kg) to finish second behind Vietnam’s Vuong Thi Huyen, who lifted 168kg (76kg+92kg). The bronze medal went to Mary Flor Diaz of Philippines for her 158kg (69kg+89kg) effort. — PTI

Mizo muscle 

• Jeremy Lalrinnunga broke 15 records in total, including national and international marks. The six international records he broke include three youth world records and three youth Asian records. He also set nine new national records — three each in youth national, junior national and senior national categories.
• He also smashed the 67kg national senior record in snatch, clean and jerk, and total lift. He smashed his own snatch record of 131kg and erased Gulam Navi’s clean and jerk record of 160kg to better his own total lift record of 288kg
• It was his personal best, 9kg more than his 288kg youth world record effort in the EGAT Cup