New Delhi:
Indian lifters failed to capitalise on their first day success as Rustam Sarang and Omkar Otari went down fighting in 62kg category to finish fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Swati Singh, in 53kg women's event, too could not make it to the podium at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. In the men's section, despite a good show by the Indians, Malaysia stole the limelight bagging the gold as well as the silver medal.
Aricco Jumitih clinched gold and Naharudin Mahayudin took silver, while Sri Lanka's Sudesh Peiris Kurukulasooriyage came from behind to clinch the bronze medal.
In the women's event, Swati Singh never looked comfortable as she failed in two out of three attempts in snatch. In clean and jerk, after making a successful first attempt, she got injured in the warm-up to finish fourth.
Canada's Marilou Dozois clinched the gold after totalling 182 kgs (82 in snatch and 100 in clean and jerk), while Onyeka Azike of Nigeria won silver after she totalled 180kgs. Malaysia's Raihan Yusoff took bronze with a total of 175kgs.
"The competition is not very hard but I think they (lifters) are just not being able to transform their training performances on the field. But there is no problem with their technique," said India coach Harnam Singh.
Earlier, at the end of 62kg men's snatch, Otari was leading the table along with Mahayudin with both on 125kgs, while Sarang was placed third on 121kgs.
Gold medallist Jumitih and Kurukulasooriyage were also not far behind, on 120kgs. Jumitih, who looked comfortable lifting 120kgs in his first attempt in snatch, failed in his next two attempts, trying to lift 125kgs, whereas the lankan reached the 120kg mark.
Thereafter, the tables turned in clean and jerk event. Otari had a successful first attempt of 140kgs but failed to lift 145kgs in his next two. Sarang kept India's hopes alive as he cleared a lift of 150kgs in his second attempt in clean to total 271. Unfortunately, he could not hold on to 153kgs in his third and final attempt to remain at 271.
Surprisingly, Kurukulasooriyage, who failed to lift 145kgs in his first attempt, lifted 152kgs in clean and jerk in his second. In the third, he lifted 152kgs to total 272.
The contest for the first and second spot was between the two Malaysians. Mahayudin, who finished the snatch round with 125kgs, lifted 150kgs to make a total of 275. But, in the end, it was Jumitih who had the last laugh, totalling 276, to bag the top prize.
Asked about Swati, Harnam said: "She was well within her range after the first clean and jerk lift but then got injured. So we had to take our chances by asking her to go for 98kgs in her second attempt, which she failed."
Swati lifted 74kgs in snatch in her first chance but failed to lift 78kgs in the next two attempts. However, she fought back in the clean and jerk event in her first attempt by lifting 92 kgs when the injury happened.