Rao lifted 100kg in snatch and then hoisted 136 kg in clean and jerk for a tally of 236 kg that fetched him the first place. Ramanna of Madhya Pradesh won the silver, lifting 103 kg in snatch and 132 kg in clean and jerk for a total of 235 kgs. Tamil Nadu’s G Veeramani completed the placings with a lift of 98 kg in snatch and 130 kg in clean and jerk, totalling 228 for the bronze.
Rao, though failed to come close to the national record of 262, set by AK Pandian of Railways in 2001.
Karnataka won their first medal of the meet through Sharada Siddi, who lifted the bronze in women’s 48kg class. After lifting 63kg in snatch, Siddi struggled in clean and jerk, failing in her first two attempts at 80kg. But in her third and final attempt, she rose to the occasion, managing 81 kg for a total of 144 kg that assured her the bronze.
Sanjitha Chanu of Meghalaya won the gold with a total of 155 kg — 67 kg in snatch and 88 kg in clean and jerk. Manipur’s Thoinu Devi won the silver with 148 kg (63, 85). Kunjarani Devi holds the national record of 190 kgs in this category.
Manipuri lifters dominated the women’s 53 kg class, with H Shaya Devi and N Lakshmi Devi grabbing gold and silver respectively. Shaya lifted 73 kg in snatch and then muscled in a maximum of 90 kg in clean and jerk for a total of 163 kg. Lakshmi was just a kilogram behind, with 72 kg in snatch and 90 kg in clean and jerk for a total of 162.
Karnataka’s entry in the category, Tangbi Devi, failed to finish among the medallists.
M Santoshi, representing Indian Weightlifting Federation, lifted 161 kg (71 kg, 90 kg) to take home the bronze medal.
Results: Men -- 56 kg: V Srinivasa Rao (Services), 236 kg (Snatch 100 kg, clean and jerk 136 kg) 1; Ramanna (MP) 235 kg (103 kg, 132 kg) 2; G Veeramani (TN) 228 (98, 130) 3.
Women -- 48 kg: Sanjitha Chanu (Meghalaya) 155 kg (67, 88) 1; Thoinu Devi (Manipur) 148 kg (63, 85) 2; Sharada Siddi (Kar): 144 (63, 81) 3.
53 kg: H Shaya Devi (Manipur) 163 (73, 90) 1; N Lakshmi Devi (Manipur) 162 (72, 90) 2; M Santoshi (IWF) 161 (71, 90), 3.
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