Khumukcham Sanjita Chanu, the 24-year Manipuri girl, gave India the second gold after she won in the Women’s 53kg Weightlifting at Commonwealth Games 2018. Sanjita Chanu’s success came following that of another Manipuri girl, Mirabai Chanu who won gold in 48kg in the opening day of the Games. India’s another medal, till now, came through the weightlifting prowess of Gururaja Poojary who won silver in Men’s 56kg Weightlfting category.
Sanjita Chanu began her campaign with a new Commonwealth Games record when she managed to lift 84kg in Snatch. She started with 81kg and gradually upgraded it to 83kg and 84kg. The Clean and Jerk had a thrilling finish with the competition got confined between Chanu and Papua New Guinea’s Loa Dika Toua. She lifted 102kg in the first attempt while Sanjita lifted 104kg. In her second attempt Toua kept 109kg which she was unable to lift. In the menwhile Chanu already lifted 108kg in her second attempt. Sanjita was leading with 192 points. She, however, failed to lift her third attempt. Toua, who was 10 points behind, also failed to lift her third attempt. Eventually, Sanjita Chanu won the gold.
Sanjita took up the sport of weightlifting in 2006, inspired by Weightlfting legend Kunjarani Devi. She was the gold medal winner in Women’s 48kg in Glasgow 2014 and Commonwealth Championship in 2015.
