Birmingham: Achinta Sheuli, the 20-year-old weightlifter from West Bengal, fetched India’s third gold at the Commonwealth Games on Sunday night, lifting a record 313 kg (snatch 143 kg + clean and jerk 170 kg) in the men’s 73-kg category.
Achinta lifted 140 kg and 143 kg in snatch round, following it up with 166 kg and 170 kg in clean and jerk, setting a Games record for overall weight.
The Indian lifter faced tough competition from Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat Muhammad, who won silver lifting 303 kg (138 kg + 165 kg).
Canada’s Shad Darsigny won bronze lifting 298 kg (135 kg + 163 kg).
Achinta dedicated his gold to his brother Alok, without whose support, he feels, he wouldn’t be where he is today. “I dedicate this gold medal to my brother,” said the star weightlifter who once used to stitch embroidery on women’s salwars to make ends meet.
In fact, as a child Achinta had no interest in weightlifting. His brother, seven years older, was the one who was drawn to weightlifting.
“There was a gym near our house. It was a home gym. I was the first one in our family to go. Achinta was a quiet boy. He was very shy, so I took him to the gym to make him confident,” Alok was quoted as saying in Sportstar.
Alok, who has won gold medals in weightlifting at the state level, eventually gave up the sport to support his family financially, working as a labourer in Howrah’s mills and warehouses.
But he encouraged Achinta to pursue weightlifting.
“My routine was very simple. Subah utho, thoda kaam karo, training par jao till 10 am. Then go to school, come back. Train again, come home, do some more embroidery work, then go to sleep,” he was quoted as saying in the Sportstar article.
