Glasgow: India’s Bindyarani Devi made a gritty fight but two unsuccessful clean and jerk attempts restricted her to bronze as Nigeria’s Rafiatu Folashade Lawal powered to a record-breaking gold in the women’s 58kg weightlifting event at the Commonwealth Games here on Monday.
Bindyarani, who had won silver in the 55kg category at the 2022 Birmingham Games, finished with a total lift of 199kg (87kg snatch + 112kg clean and jerk) to secure the third spot.
The gap between the Indian and the top two lifters, however, was significant.
World championships silver medallist Lawal was in a class of her own, rewriting the record books with a Commonwealth and Games record of 103kg in the snatch, followed by another Games record of 126kg in the clean and jerk for a staggering total of 229kg.
Canada’s Ann-Sophie Taschereau claimed the silver with an aggregate of 215kg (87kg + 128kg).
Bindyarani was on the back foot after the snatch, where successful lifts of 83kg, 85kg and 87kg left her fourth in the standings.
She then found herself in a battle for bronze with England’s Eliza Pratt, who eventually finished fourth with a total of 196kg (87kg + 109kg).
The Manipuri’s opening clean and jerk lift of 110kg, completed after a gritty effort, was overturned on review for bending and re-extending her arms during the movement.
She responded by successfully lifting 112kg on her second attempt, again after a determined struggle, but could not complete 116kg in her final attempt, ending her campaign with the bronze medal.
It was the fifth medal in weightlifting for India.
