Commonwealth Games 2018: 10 things you need to know about Ragala Venkat Rahul, India's 4th gold medallist at CWG 2018

21-year-old Ragala Venkat Rahul became India's fourth gold medallist at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Participating in the 85kg category of weightlifting, Rahul lifted a combined total of 338 kg (151 kg in snatch and 187 kg in clean and jerk) to clinch the top prize.

India has already been excelling in the weightlifting events, with Mirabai Chanu (48kg) headlining Day 1 of the Games by winning a gold and Sanjita Chanu followed it up next day with another gold in the 53kg category and after them.

Here are 10 things you need to know about the bundle of talent from down south, who we all know as Rahul -

#1. At just 21 years of age, Rahul Venkat Ragala was born on 16th March,1997.

#2. Hailing from the land of the Nizams, Rahul comes from the Guntur district of Andra Pradesh. Ragala hails from Stuartpuram, a small town in Andhra Pradesh with a notorious reputation for crime.

#3. He was inducted and trained for weightlifting at the Telangana Sports School. Rahul was a star performer from this sports school at several international levels. His father, Madhu Ragala, was a former kabaddi player and weightlifter who had to give up on his dreams due to poverty. However, he initiated Rahul in the sport at a very early age so that he didn't face any troubles.

#4. Rahul announced his arrival in the international level with a breakthrough performance at the tender age of 17, when he won two gold medals in the youth and junior categories of the Commonwealth Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championship held in Malaysia in 2013.

#5. His rise, though, was hindered as his mother fell ill, which took a toll on his preparations for the Rio Olympics. Failing to qualify for Rio was a huge disappointment for him.

#6. Rahul was inspired to take up weightlifting primarily because of Karnam Malleswari, India's first ever woman medallist in the Olympics (Bronze, Weightlifting, 2000 Sydney Games)

#7. Rahul qualified for the 2018 CWG by securing a gold medal at the 2017 Commonwealth Senior Weightlifting Championships that was held in Gold Coast. He lifted a total of 351kg (156kg in snatch and 195kg in clean and jerk) to gain entry into the CWG 2018 platform. He won 2 gold medals in the Junior and Senior category and managed to set quite a few records, for his young age.

#8. He suffered from jaundice and lost 20kg because of that.

#9. Rahul, has a younger brother, Varun who is also a weightlifter.

#10. The Andra Pradesh Government was highly pleased with the 21-year-old's surging talent and success and rewarded Rahul, whose ultimate dream is to clinch an Olympic medal, with Rs 15 lakh rupees.