Weightlifting gold for India

03 Apr, 2004

India on Friday won two more gold medals in 9th SAF games weight lifting contest taking the tally to three.
India's Sudhir Kumar and Sateesha Rai beat their Pakistani rivals Shahbaz Abdullah Butt and Irfan Islam in 69 and 77 kg categories to win the gold medals.
In a neck and neck fight in 69 kg category, India's Sudhir Kumar was declared winner for his less body weight as both the Indian and Pakistani players had lifted total 285 kg weight in snatch and clean and jerk events.
Sudhir Kumar's body weight was 520 grams less than Pakistan's Shahzad Abdullah Butt who failed to lift 160 kg weight in his last attempt. Duncan Lasanthe Jayasinghe of Sri Lanka won bronze medal by lifting 245 kg total weight with 107.5 kg in snatch and 137.5 kg in clean and jerk event.
In 77 kg category, India's Arjuna Award winner, Sateesha Rai set a new SAF Games record in clean and jerk event by lifting 160 kg weight and won gold medal with total weight of 322 kg. He lifted 142.5 kg in snatch event.
The previous record (177.5 kg) in clean and jerk was also of Sateesha Rai in 6th SAF Games in Kathmandu.
He also broke his own record of total weight (320 kg) of 8th SAF Games, by lifting 322.5 kg total weight.
Runner-up Irfan Islam from Pakistan lifted 315 kg weight in total with 142.5 kg in snatch and 172.5 kg in clean and jerk event.
Sri Lanka's P K Gamage Navindra Dayan won the bronze medal by lifting 250 kg weight in total with 110 kg in snatch and 140 in clean and jerk.

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