India's medal tallyreaches Three on Day 2 of Commonwealth Games 2022

Olympic silver medalistMirabai Chanu secured the country’s first gold medal in the CWG 2022 when shefinished first in the women’s 49 kg weightlifting event in Birmingham onSaturday.

In the process, Mirabaidefended her CWG crown and smashed the Commonwealth and Commonwealth Games’weightlifting record by lifting 197 kg. Notably, Chanu won the gold medal inthe Commonwealth Games 2018 at Goldcoast and took a massive 12kg lead over hernearest opponent, courtesy of her second throw in the snatch round.

Chanu was the favourite towin gold in 49kg as she had the best record among all those in the fray. Her203kg combined lift in Tokyo qualified her for the event and is 35kg betterthan the next best qualifier Stella Peter Kingsley of Nigeria who lifted 168kgat the world championships last year.

This is India’s thirdmedal of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, with Sanket Sargar clinching the silvermedal in the men’s 55 kg category and P Gururaja winning a bronze medal in themen’s 61kg category earlier in the day.

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