New Delhi, July 30: Despite a wrenching pain in his right elbow, the young weightlifter Sanket Sargar won a silver medal in the men’s 55kg category, putting India on the medal tally at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games on Saturday.
Sanket Sargar had his eyes set on gold but injured his right elbow while attempting to lift 139kg in clean and jerk and eventually settled for second place. The 21-year-old weightlifter managed a total of 248kg (113kg+135kg) to finish just one kilogram behind Malaysia’s Mohamad Aniq, who smashed the Games record in clean and jerk as he lifted 249kg (107kg+142kg) to win the gold.
Sanket on his injury
“I heard a sound and it started paining. The first time it happened, I still had to lift and I did that again after the second and third time post that.”
“I should have taken the risk because I wanted to get a medal so I should have taken the risk.”
“There is a lot of pain, I can’t leave my hand loose and it’s pulling from the inside.”
“I have to go to the medical team now and take an x-ray.”
“Nothing happened to my leg but because of this it bent and I couldn’t do it like this. I am very disappointed.”
“It was painful at that time but my body was warm so it didn’t feel much but I can feel it now.”
Sanket on medal
“I am sad because I wanted to stand for gold. I have been training to come here for gold for 4 years now. I trained myself in such a way that I had to secure gold. I am a little disappointed and a little happy that I got a medal but I am a lot sadder.”
“This medal, with what India is going through, I would like to dedicate this medal to everyone who has fought for our freedom selflessly without caring about their lives. So, I would like to dedicate it to all those fighters.”
Sanket on lifting and risks
“Yes, I could have but that time I could do 113 but it was important to complete the lift so I didn’t want to risk that.”
“I lifted 5 kgs more than this in my training. But all of a sudden a load came which even I couldn’t understand.”
“My personal best is 143kg”
Sanket on prior to his last lift
“Before the last life, sir asked whether I wanted to take it or not. I said I wanted to take it and not leave it because everything I have done for the last 4 years came down to that last lift. One step remained and I said I have to take it. Sir said that the pain might increase more and then even he encouraged me by saying that we have to do it because we are living for that only and that pumped me more.”
IOA press release
