Bindyarani Devi bags silver medal in weightlifting at CWG 2022

A monstrous 116KG lift and jerk final attempt catapulted the Indian to the runner-up spot.

Bindyarani Devi eased her way to a silver medal, banking on her lift & jerk prowess to account for her deficit in the snatch. The 23-year-old from Manipur lifted a total of 202 kgs, narrowly missing out on Nigerian Olarinoye’s gold by a sole kilogram. Fraer Morrow won bronze with a new personal best of 198kgs at Commonwealth Games 2022.

Home favourite Fraer Morrow went toe-to-toe with champion Olarinoye Adenike Adijat throughout the snatch lifts. Olarinoye lifted 90 kgs in her first attempt and followed that up with a successful 92 kg lift, a Games Record. Morrow looked comfortable throughout her first two snatch attempts of 86 kgs and 89kgs. She did not have the momentum in the push to clear 91 kgs.

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Bindyarani held her form comfortably for an 81KG snatch. Her rapid second attempt saw her cross 84 kgs. A nervy third lift at 86 kgs saw the referees agree 2-1. She finished the snatch with a four-kgs lead over Gazinet in fourth. 

Morrow’s team took a massive gamble, asking her to lift 109 kg clean and jerk in the first attempt but she cleared it in her second. Bidyarani banked on her clean and jerk expertise for a guaranteed medal, listing 105 as the first weight and smashing it. 

Olarinoye’s first 110 kg lift & jerk was hotly debated. Initially given two greens, the jury overturned the referee’s decision. The Nigerian’s spectacular recovery and a clean 110kg lift and jerk catapulted her to the top. 111m was the final lift, which was successfully accomplished. She set a new Games Record, totalling 203 kgs. 

Bindyarani’s second attempt of 114 kgs proved to be unsuccessful after both elbows were bent during the jerk. Her outstanding successful third attempt of 116 kgs guaranteed a silver, as she managed a total of 202 kgs. Her last lift smashed the previous Clean and Jerk Games Record and converted a bronze to silver. Fraer bagged bronze, comfortably beating Gazinet and celebrated with a back-flip. 

Silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games adds to Bindyarani’s growing medal collection. She won gold at the 2019 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships with a total of 198 kgs.

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