Late in the night, after some stellar performances from her colleagues, Bindyarani Devi won India’s fourth medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games by clinching silver in the women’s 55kg weightlifting final in Birmingham on Saturday.
Nigeria’s Adijat Adenike Olarinoye claimed gold with a total lift of 203kgs (92kgs snatch and 111kgs clean and jerk) ahead of Bindyarani’s 202kgs lift (86kgs snatch and 116kgs clean and jerk – a games record). England’s Fraer Morrow took bronze with a total lift of 198kgs (89kgs snatch and 109kgs clean and jerk).
The trio went into the final as favourites to finish on the podium and their path task became simpler after Wales’ Catrin Jones failed to put up a single lift in snatch.
Olarinoye lifted a Games record 92kgs in snatch to take a crucial six kilo lead into the clean and jerk ahead of Morrow (89kgs) and Bindyarani (86kgs).
Morrow lifted 109kgs in clean and jerk at the second time of asking while Bindyarani easily lifted 110kgs. Olarinoye fouled in her first attempt of 110kgs but nailed the lift in her second. A mix-up from her coaches meant that the Nigerian had to come back out immediately to lift 111kgs instead of a higher weight….
