Commonwealth Games: ‘Shubh Sanket’, Twitter congratulates Sanket Sargar for winning silver-Sports News , Firstpost

India’s Sanket Sargar in action during the 2022 Commonwealth Games. AP

India opened its medal tally at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 with a silver. Sanket Mahadev Sargar bagged the silver medal in the men’s 55kg weightlifting category on Saturday, 30 July.

The 21-year-old lifted a total of 248kg (113kg in snatch and 135kg in clean and jerk) to finish behind Malaysia’s Mohamad Aniq bin Kasdan. Aniq lifted 142kg in his final clean and jerk attempt, a Commonwealth Games record, to claim the top spot with a total lift of 249kg. Sri Lanka’s DIlanka Isiri Kumara Yogade secured the bronze medal.

Sargar had his heart set on the gold, but suffered an untimely injury. The athlete injured his elbow during his second attempt of the clean and jerk round.

The 21-year-old did return for the third and final attempt. But due to the injury in his right elbow, he was not able to lift 139 kg. The weightlifter’s best attempt in the clean and jerk was 135kg in his first attempt.

Here is how Twitter reacted to Sargar’s silver medal at CWG 2022:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote, “Exceptional effort by Sanket Sargar! His bagging the prestigious Silver is a great start for India at the Commonwealth Games. Congratulations to him and best wishes for all future endeavours.”

Anurag Thakur, Union Minister for I&B and Youth Affairs & Sports, also congratulated the athlete.  

Virender Sehwag praised Sargar for his effort.

Kolkata Knight Riders posted a witty tweet for the occasion.  

Here are some other reactions:

Sargar was one of the favourites to clinch a medal after he had won the gold medal in the men’s 55kg snatch category at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in December last year. The 21-year-old had created a new national record after he lifted 113 kg.

In other events at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, weightlifter Mirabai Chanu will be competing in the women’s 49kg category.  The badminton mixed double’s team will face Australia in the evening. Boxer Lovlina Borgohain will be participating in the 66-70kg round of 16 as well. Furthermore, India women’s hockey team will take on Wales later in the day.