Bindyarani Devi wins her first medal in Common Wealth Games

Bindyarani Devi won silver in the women’s 55kg final to give India its fourth medal of the day and keep the nation’s love affair with weightlifting alive until the Commonwealth Games 2022. After champion Mirabai Chanu won India’s first gold medal at the CWG 2022, along with silver medalist Sanket Sargar and bronze medalist Gururaja Poojary, Bindyarani joined the group by lifting an impressive 202 kg (86kg in snatch and 116kg in Clean & Jerk). Bindyarani achieved a personal best, a national record, and a Commonwealth Games record in the Clean & Jerk with her amazing lift of 116 kg, which not only earned her her first CWG gold.Adijat Adenike Olarinoye of Nigeria won the competition with a weight of 203 kg (92 + 111), and Fraer Morrow of England came in third with 198 kg.

Bindyarani started her pursuit of a CWG medal after the majority of India had gone to sleep with a clean lift of 81 kg on her first try and improved it by winning 84 kg and 86 kg in her second and third attempts. Bindyarani finished third in the snatch series after Adijat and Morro, who had lifted 92kg and 89kg of weight, respectively.

Bindyarani now has a CWG medal to show for her efforts after previously winning medals at several weightlifting competitions. Previously, in 2021, Bindyarani had won a gold medal in the World Weightlifting Championships’ Clean & Jerk competition. She also succeeded in snatching 84 kg for a total lift of 198 kg, placing her fourth overall. She also won a gold and a silver medal at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in 2019 and 2021.

Before the final two dramatic tries in the Clean & Jerk series played out, Bindyarani appeared to be headed for a bronze medal for the longest period. Although Fraer Morrow of England was guaranteed to win silver, she wanted to win gold and bravely lifted an additional 6 kg in her final lift. She stumbled, and Bindyarani was given the chance to capitalise on it. The 23-year-old had to lift 116kg in order to place second, which she did. Bindyadevi’s final try, when she added 6 kg to the barbell, was flawless, earning her a silver.