Khelo India 2019: Dharshini, Rudra impress as Maharashtra lifters stay in the lead 

Pune, Jan 14: Tamil Nadu duo of T. Dharshini and S. Rudra Mayan turned in dazzling performances to snap up gold medals on Day 6 of the weightlifting competition of the Khelo India Youth Games 2019 at the Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex here on Monday.

With only a day to go, Maharashtra sits atop the table with a total of 13 medals, stamping their authority seven times with gold alongside three silver and as many bronzes. Punjab with four gold is second, while Tamil Nadu who joined the bandwagon today along with Manipur, Andhra Pradesh and Mizoram with three gold each.

The women’s 81kg U-17 started proceedings for the day with Maharashtra girl Vaishnavi Pawar grabbing gold with a total of 114kg (snatch 54kg, clean and jerk 60kg). Gayatri Reddi of Andhra Pradesh claimed silver with a total of 109kg (snatch 44kg, clean and jerk 65kg) while M. Deeba (TN) took bronze with 102kg.

A determined Dharshini ensured that a U-17 bronze would be compensated with gold in the 81kg U-21 category. She had a total of 192kg (snatch 85, clean and jerk 107kg) while Christina Tayeng from Arunachal Pradesh with a total of 154kg (snatch 69kg, clean and jerk 85kg) was well short but still took silver while Shewta Pundir of Uttar Pradesh won bronze on 154kg.

Dharshini also broke her records in snatch, clean and jerk and total weight. In snatch, she bettered her old mark by 1 kg with 85kg, went 2kg better with 107kg in clean and jerk and improved her total lift from 190 to 192kg.

S. Rudra Mayan from Tamil Nadu displayed excellent technique in the men’s +102kg U-17 category clinching the gold and breaking records in snatch, clean and jerk and total weight. He had a total of 269kg (snatch 118kg, clean and jerk 151kg). Ashwani Tejya, from UP, lifted a total of 250kg (snatch 110kg, clean and jerk 140kg) for silver while Punjab’s Gagandeep Gill won bronze with a 216kg total.

Rudra Mayan eclipsed the earlier records by 3kg in snatch, by 8kg in clean and jerk and by 11kg in total weight.

In the men’s 102kg U-17s, UP took both gold and silver. Pushpendra Singh Chaudhary with a total of 254kg (snatch 114kg, clean and jerk 140kg) won gold while Avinash Yadav took silver with 234kg (snatch 109kg, clean and jerk 125kg. No bronze medal was awarded in this category.

Pradeep Kumar Yadav also from UP gave Andhra Pradesh’s B.S.D. Vishnu Vardhan a good fight in the men’s 102kg U-21 category before bowing to Vishnu Vardhan at the critical moments in the competition. Vishnu Vardhan lifted 279kg (snatch 121kg, clean and jerk 158kg), for gold while fell short by just 2kg in a total of 277kg (snatch 123, clean and jerk 154). Dilpreet Singh of Punjab won bronze with 245kg.

Muskan Singh of Haryana won gold in the women’s +81kg U-17 category with a total weight of 135kg (snatch 60kg, clean and jerk 75kg) while Maibam Martina Devi clinched silver for Manipur with 130kg (snatch 60kg, clean and jerk 70kg). A. Mohana Priya from Tamil Nadu pocketed bronze with 123kg.

RESULTS:

U-17 Youth Women’s 81kg: 1. Vaishnavi Pawar (MH) 114 kg, 2. Reddi Gayathri (AP) 109 kg, 3. M Deeba (TN) 102 kg.

U-17 Youth Women’s +81kg: 1. Muskan Singh (HR) 135kg, 2. Maibam Martina Devi (MN) 130 kg, 3. A. Mohana Priya (TN) 123 kg.

U-21 Junior Women’s 81kg: 1. T. Dharshini (TN) 192 kg, 2. Christina Tayeng (AR) 154 kg, 3. Shweta Pundir (UP) 154 kg.

U-17 Youth Men’s 102kg: 1. Pushpendra Singh Chaudhary (UP) 254 kg, 2. Avinash Yadav (UP) 234 kg.

U-17 Youth Men’s +102kg: 1. S. Rudra Mayan (TN) 269 kg, 2. Ashwani Tejya (UP) 250 kg, 3. Gagandeep Gill (PB) 216 kg.

U-21 Junior Men’s 102kg: 1. B.S.D. Vishnu Vardhan (AP) 279 kg, 2. Pradeep Kumar Yadav (UP) 277 kg, 3. Dilpreet Singh (PB) 245 kg.