Indians get the golden lift at the Commonwealth Games

The stadium erupted in joy as Australia’s Seen Lee failed to lift the 111kg in her final attempt. Reason? It brought India its first gold in weightlifting. The smiles were finally back in India’s weightlifting camp. Thank Renu Bala Chanu’s stupendous effort for that. Chanu, at her best on Wednesday, comfortably clinching India’s ninth gold, first in weightlifting, also retained her women’s 58kg title.

More joy was to follow in the evening. K Ravi Kumar set a CWG record on his way to the gold in men’s 69kg category. He broke the Games record lifting 321 kg (146+175) and surpassed Cameroon’s Venecelas Dabaya’s total of 310kg, achieved in the 2002 Manchester Games. It is also a new Commonwealth Championships record.

India has now won six medals in weightlifting, having already won two silvers and two bronze on Monday. But the gold medals have lifted the spirits of the Indians, who have had very difficult few months because of doping.

“I dedicate this to all my fellow weightlifters and our federation. All of us have been through tough times of late so this brings some joy,” Chanu said.

It was an equally satisfying moment for chief coach Harnam Singh, who finally smiled at the end of a weightlifting event in three days. “I knew a gold medal was on its way. This is just the beginning. There are more to follow,” Harnam said.

Bala, who turned 24 on Saturday, set a new Games’ record by lifting 90kg in the snatch before piling on the pressure with a clean and jerk of 107 for a 197kg total.

Results: Men’s 69 kg: Ravi Katulu (Ind), Chinthana Vidanage (SL), Mohd Mansor (Mas); Women’s 58 kg: Renu Bala Chanu (Ind), Seen Lee (Aus), Zoe Smith (Eng)

CWG: Kalmadi fights back, hints at conspiracy

New Delhi: Commonwealth Games Organising committee chief Suresh Kalmadi on Monday hit back at his detractors saying that the "conspiracy against the CWG is a conspiracy against India" and that a "few pictures of dirty toilets does not mean that the Games Village is not world class".

Speaking to IBN 18 editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai, Kalmadi said he had never considered resigning at any stage. "I take responsibility for mess but must be given credit if Games are a success," he said before training his guns at Mani Shankar Aiyer, who he blamed for not having worked for two years while he was the Union Sports Minister. Kalmadi, who is also the president of the Indian Olympic Association, also did not spare Commonwealth Games Federation CEO and asked "Mike Hooper has been in India for four years, what was he doing?"

"I am ready to face judicial inquiry after games on corruption charges, hang me if I am proved guilty," he told CNN-IBN while clearly indicating that he was not prepared to go down without a fight.

"Some countries did not want India to get the games," Kalmadi said. He also accused the builder and the contractor for delaying the CWG village because of a fight between the two.

"Work in flats are still going on, it's a good sign that the sun has come out and the stagnant water has dried up. We should have got the village clean from DDA and the builders. Cleaning up the village is not the work of the Organising Committtee."

"There are small issues, small complaints of accommodation and transport. We are coming to terms with full-mode operations, but there is no need of any more complaints. All the people have enjoyed the games village," he asserted.