New Delhi: India's Ravi Kumar Katulu, who only took up weightlifting three years ago, rewrote the record books on Wednesday when he cruised to victory in the 69kg class.

Kumar Katulu won with a record total of 321kg after having set new marks of 146kg in the snatch and 175kg in the clean and jerk.

Defending champion Chinthana Vidanage of Srilanka took silver with 308kg while Mohammad Hafifi Mansor of Malaysia claimed bronze with a 306kg total.

Former body-builder Kumar Katulu was never threatened, lifting 137kg in the snatch, three kilos better than Mansor with Vidanage in third place on 134kg.

The 22-year-old from Orissa was always the runaway favourite having lifted a combined 307kg to win the Commonwealth title in 2009, 22kg more than his closest rival in the field Mohammad Talib of Malaysia.

It was India's second weightlifting gold of the day after Renu Bala retained her 58kg women's title.

Bala set a new Commonwealth record by lifting 90kg in the snatch before piling on the pressure with a clean and jerk of 107 for a 197kg total.

Australia's Seen Lee, with a total of 192kg claimed silver to add to her 2002 bronze medal from Manchester.

English 16-year-old Zoe Smith took bronze with a 188kg total after a brave late attempt to knock the Australian from the silver medal position when she twice attempted 108kg in the clean and jerk.

Tags: Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010, India Ravi Kumar Katulu Gold Weightlifting, Ravi Kumar Katulu Wins Gold Weightlifting 69kg Title