Five things you probably didn't know about Jeremy Lalrinnunga

The teenage sensation claimed a gold medal in the 67kg weightlifting event at the Commonwealth Games 2022.

The 19-year-old Jeremy Lalrinnunga raised the stature of the country by winning gold to India at the Commonwealth Games. Jeremy clinched India's second gold at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in the 67kg Weighlifting event. He joins Mirabai Chanu on the list to claim the gold medal at the ongoing Birmingham Games. Along with Prime Minister Modi, many big personalities in the country have congratulated him. Let's know some such facts related to Jeremy Lalrinnunga that you may not know yet.

5. Son of national-level pugalist

Jeremy was born in 2002 in Aizwal. Sports was in Jeremy's genes as his father was a national-level boxer. Jeremy and his brother joined the sport like their father. His father Lalneihtluanga was a known figure in the boxing circuit.

Apart from his own boxing career in the early 90s he used to train youngsters in his village. Jeremy at first wanted to be a boxer like his father but later when he saw weightlifting, he chose to play weightlifting.

4. Financial situation at home

Jeremy's financial situation was grim which didn't allow him to chase his dreams. He was left with no option but to start working as a labourer on contract with the local Public Works Department (PWD). Lalneihtluanga a father of five boys wanted his kids to excel in sports and live his dream.

His father also worked as a labourer to support the family but sport was his unfulfilled dream. Jeremy was introduced to weightlifting at the age of seven when he saw youngsters train at the gym.

3. Journey to becoming a weightlifter

Jeremy's journey to becoming a professional weightlifter thus began. He learnt weightlifting by first balancing 5m long and 20mm wide bamboo sticks. When he excelled in it his coach Malsawma introduced him to lifting weights. Jeremy scripted history when he won gold in the Boys' 62kg category with a lift of 274kg (124kg in snatch, while 150kg in clean and jerk round).

It was India's first gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games. Jeremy has also previously won the silver medal in the Asian Weightlifting championship.  

2. Medal at Youth Olympics

India's first medal at the Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires lifted Jeremy to prominence. He wished to grab this opportunity and move on to his next big goal of winning a medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

At the age of 17, Jeremy was going to break records for India if he would claim a medal but this dream was short-lived. As he missed out on the opportunity to make through to the qualifying stage, he ranked 12th in the 67kg weight category.

1. National record

Although he missed out on his chance to represent India at the Tokyo Olympics he still holds the national records which include 141kg (snatch), 167kg (clean and jerk), and a total of 306kg in the 67kg category.