Asian Championships: Jeremy Lalrinnunga wins snatch silver but falters in clean and jerk

Jinju (South Korea), May 7

Indian weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga won a silver medal in the snatch category but could not register an overall total as he failed to complete a lift in the clean and jerk section in a disappointing show at the Asian Championships here today.

Competing in his first tournament since winning the gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Jeremy was the only one in the 12-lifter field who did not finish his event. The 20-year-old, however, won silver in the snatch event with a personal best lift of 141kg in the non-Olympics 67kg class. Jeremy failed to lift 165kg in his first two clean and jerk attempts. He then increased the weight to 168kg, which would have been two kilogrammes more than his personal best and also a national record, but the reigning Youth Olympics champion faltered again.

In fact, out of his six attempts — three each in snatch, and clean and jerk — Jeremy could complete only two lifts. “I don’t know what happened today. It was just bad luck,” Jeremy said.

“After two failed attempts in clean and jerk, I went for the national record. I have lifted 168kg several times in training but today it was just not my day,” he added.

The Mizoram lifter, who is returning from a thigh injury that saw him miss last year’s World Championships, looked rusty.