Indian lifters and shuttlers upbeat

With some top-notch peformers in the contingent, the Manchester-bound Indian weightlifting and badminton teams expressed optimism of returning with a good medal haul form the Commonwealth Games later this month.

"It will be a toss-up between our T Muthu and Vicky Batta for gold in 56 kg event. I am confident both would be reaching the final," weighlifting coach M Tamil Selvan said in Bangalore on Thursday.

Selvan said Krishnan Madasamy is also a medal prospect in the 62 kg section.

India won as many as 13 medals in weightlifting in the last edition of the Commonwealth Games and the team is looking to improve its tally this time, Selvan added.

Thirty-one-year-old Satheesha Rai, a gold medallist in the snatch event and silver medallist in the clean and jerk category last time, said he would strive hard to put up a good show in the 77 kg class.

Badminton coach S M Arif is also quite optimistic about his wards figuring strongly in the medal tally.

"Gopichand would definitely go for gold. He won a bronze in the last edition but he is a different man these days, having his confidence boosted with the All England championship title last year," he said.

Twenty-four-year-old Aparna Popat, India's top woman shuttler who won a silver in Kuala Lumpur at the last Games, promised her best shot, though she admitted that her biggest hurdle would be Kelly Morgan of Wales.