Twelve weightlifters including Tokyo Olympics silver medal winner Mirabai Chanu (women’s 55kg), Bindyarani Devi (women’s 59kg), Vikas Thakur, Ragala Venkat Rahul (both men’s 96kg), and others have qualified for the Commonwealth Games 2022 after bagging medals at the Singapore Weightlifting International.
Vikas Thakur and Venkat Rahul Ragala clinched the gold and bronze medals respectively in the men’s 96kg event on Sunday, while Popy Hazarika (women’s 64kg), Usha Kumara (women’s 87kg), won medals to book their spots at the Commonwealth Games. India concluded its campaign at the event with a haul of eight medals, including six golds and a silver and bronze each.
On Friday, Mirabai Chanu, participating in new weight category (women’s 55kg), along with Bindyarani Devi (women’s 59kg), Sanket Mahadev, and Chanambam Rishikanta Singh (both men’s 55kg), had also qualified for the CWG 2022 after bagging medals.
The results mean all eight Indians who registered for the Singapore International won medals and secured their spots at the Birmingham 2022 Games, to be held in July-August. India now have 12 weightlifters qualified for the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham.
Jeremy Lalrinnunga, Achinta Sheuli, Ajay Singh and Purnima Pandey had secured their spots by winning gold medals in their respective categories at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2021 in December last year.