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Powerlifter Sudhir wins CWG Para heavyweight gold

August 05, 2022 06:29 IST

The 27-year-old, who has an impairment due to the effects of polio, lifted 208kg in his first attempt before increasing the weight to 212kg in his second to gather 134.5 points and break the Games record.

Sudhir celebrates on the podium with his gold medal from the men's heavyweight Para Powerlifting at the Commonwealth Games, at NEC Arena in Birmingham, on Thursday.

IMAGE: Sudhir celebrates on the podium with his gold medal from the men's heavyweight Para Powerlifting at the Commonwealth Games, at NEC Arena in Birmingham, on Thursday. Photograph: Al Bello/Getty Images

India powerlifter Sudhir proved a class above the field to win the gold medal in men's heavyweight para event at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Thursday night.

 

An Asian Para Games bronze medallist, 

The 27-year-old, who has an impairment due to the effects of polio, thus opened India's para sports medal account in the ongoing Commonwealth Games.

(L-R) Nigeria's Ikechukwu Christian Obichukwu (silver), India's Sudhir (gold) and Scotland's Micky Yule (bronze) during the men's heavyweight Para Powerlifting medal ceremony

IMAGE: (L-R) Nigeria's Ikechukwu Christian Obichukwu (silver), India's Sudhir (gold) and Scotland's Micky Yule (bronze) during the men's heavyweight Para Powerlifting medal ceremony. Photograph: Al Bello/Getty Images

Ikechukwu Christian Obichukwu won the silver with 133.6 points, while Micky Yule bagged the bronze with 130.9 points.

Sudhir had won a bronze in men's up to 88kg with a best lift of 214kg at the World Para Powerlifting Asia-Oceania Open Championship in South Korea in June.

After taking to powerlifting in 2013 in Sonipat, he qualified for the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games, which was postponed to next year.