Sargar was gunning for gold in Birmingham, but eventually clinched silver despite sustaining an untimely injury.
Sanket clinched the silver with an aggregate of 248 kg, that includes 113kg in snatch and 135 kg in clean and jerk. Image credit: IOA
India’s Sanket Sargar opened the medals tally account for his country at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, clinching silver in the men’s 55kg weightlifting category final on Saturday.
Sargar was gunning for gold in Birmingham, but eventually clinched silver despite sustaining an untimely injury. Sanket clinched the silver with an aggregate of 248 kg, that includes 113kg in snatch and 135 kg in clean and jerk.
Sanket finished behind Aniq Kasdan of Malaysia, who finished with an aggregate of 249 kg.
The 21-year-old revealed after the bout that he was a ‘little disappointed’ with the silver as he was hoping for gold.
“I am sad because I wanted to stand for gold. I have been training to come here for gold for 4 years now. I trained myself in such a way that I had to secure gold. I am a little disappointed and a little happy that I got a medal but I am a lot sadder,” said Sanket.
“This medal, with what India is going through, I would like to dedicate this medal to everyone who has fought for our freedom selflessly without caring about their lives. So, I would like to dedicate it to all those fighters,” he added.
Sanket, who is the son of a paan shop owner, suffered an elbow injury while attempting to lift 139 kg in his second attempt. He braved the injury in his final attempt, but missed out on lifting 139 kg, only managing 135 kg, and eventually clinching gold.
Sanket revealed that he’s still feeling a ‘lot of pain’ following the bout. “I heard a sound and it started paining. The first time it happened, I still had to lift and I did that again after the second and third time post that. I should have taken the risk because I wanted to get a medal so I should have taken the risk,” he continued.
“There is a lot of pain, I can’t leave my hand loose and it’s pulling from the inside,” Sanket said.
Sanket revealed that he would have to undergo an x-ray.
“I have to go to the medical team now and take an x-ray. Nothing happened to my leg but because of this it bent and I couldn’t do it like this. I am very disappointed. It was painful at that time but my body was warm so it didn’t feel much but I can feel it now.”
The Nagpur-born athlete revealed how his coach encouraged him to go for the final lift despite the injury, saying: “Before the last life, sir asked whether I wanted to take it or not. I said I wanted to take it and not leave it because everything I have done for the last 4 years came down to that last lift. One step remained and I said I have to take it. Sir said that the pain might increase more and then even he encouraged me by saying that we have to do it because we are living for that only and that pumped me more.”
Sanket went onto further reveal how he could have taken a risk during the final, but did not want to risk doing so.
“Yes, I could have but that time I could do 113 but it was important to complete the lift so I didn’t want to risk that.”
“I lifted 5 kgs more than this in my training. But all of a sudden a load came which even I couldn’t understand. My personal best is 143kg,” explained the youngster.
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