Indian Lifter Valluri Ajaya Strikes Gold In Commonwealth Championships

Indian weightlifter Valluri Ajaya Babu produced a record-breaking performance to clinch the gold medal in the men’s 81kg junior and senior categories at the Commonwealth Championships at Suva in Fiji on Thursday. The 19-year-old Babu heaved a total of 326kg (147kg + 179kg) to finish on top of the podium. With his performance, Babu set a Commonwealth record clean and jerk in the 81kg junior category. He also smashed the junior national marks in snatch, clean and jerk and total weight sections.

Compatriot Sairaj Pardeshi bagged the youth gold in the same category while finishing second in the junior section behind Babu.

Lalruatfela won the silver in the men’s 89kg event with a best effort of 301kg (135kg+166kg) while Hrudananda Das, who lifted 299kg (129kg+170kg), clinched the silver medal in the youth category and the bronze in the junior section.

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