Raja wins 65kg gold in weightlifting Nationals as Jeremy settles for bronze

Tamil Nadu’s M Raja , a Commonwealth Championships silver medallist known for his consistency in the 65kg category, outclassed a strong field that included Commonwealth Games champion Jeremy Lalrinnunga to clinch the men’s 65kg gold medal at the National Weightlifting Championships here on Saturday.

The 26-year-old Raja lifted a combined 302kg (130kg snatch + 172kg clean and jerk) to finish comfortably ahead of the field, underlining his growing stature at the national level.

Charu Pesi of the Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) , a dependable performer in domestic competitions, claimed the silver medal with a total lift of 296kg (129kg + 167kg).

Mizoram’s Jeremy, the 2018 Youth Olympic gold medallist and one of India’s most decorated weightlifters, endured an off-colour outing. Struggling for rhythm, he failed three attempts including two in the snatch and finished with an overall effort of 295kg (133kg + 167kg) to settle for bronze.

Former Commonwealth Championships gold medallist Shubham Todkar , once a leading name in Indian weightlifting, had a disappointing campaign and finished seventh with a total of 263kg (118kg + 145kg).

Meanwhile, Services lifter Arumugapandian Maharajan , regarded as one of the country’s most promising young talents , produced a standout double-gold performance. He swept both the Youth and Junior categories , with a total lift of 282kg , signalling his rapid rise in Indian weightlifting.