Senior woman weightlifter N Kunjarani Devi failed to live up to expectations as she finished seventh in the 48 kg class in the 17th women's Centennial Weightlifting World Championships, being held in Qatar, Doha.
Kunjarani, who won bronze medal in clean and jerk in the last edition in Vancouver in 2003, lifted a total of 178 kg, which was 35 kg less than the gold medal winner, China's Wang Mingjuan's effort of 213 kg (95 kg + 118 kg).
The 30-year-old Mingjuan also bettered her own records by two kgs in all the three categories, setting up three new records in the competition, which began on Wednesday.
Thailand's Saelaw Pensiri followed by lifting 198 kg (88kg + 110kg) and her compatriot Wiratthaworn Aree lifted 193 kg (85kg + 108 kg) for third place.
The 37-year-old Indian lifted 75 kg and 78 kg in first two attempts in the snatch but unsuccessfully tried to hoist 79 kg in her third chance which was declared 'no lift'.
In the clean and jerk, she consistently increased weights on the barbell and hoisted 95 kg, 98 kg and 100 kg in her allotted three attempts.
"Kunjarani is aging. She was also not keeping well of late and needs time to regain her full strength," Indian Weightlifting Federation General Secretary Balbir Singh Bhatia said about the Commonwealth Games champion of 2002.
Other Indian contenders still to compete in the competition are MonikaDevi, 69 kg, and P Shailaja, 75 kg.
Vicky Batta and G Veerabhadran flopped as they finished 14th and 15th after their efforts of 234 kg (107 kg + 127 kg) and 232 kg (102 kg + 132 kg) respectively in the 56 kg class, ending India's challenge in the men's event, which is in its 74th year.
© 2024 Rediff.com -