Singapore, Feb 27 (Representative) Indian weightlifters VikasThakur, Venkat Rahul Ragala, Popy Hazarika and Usha Kumara secured a spot for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 after a podium finish at the Singapore Weightlifting International on Sunday. In the men’s 97kg category, the two-time Commonwealth Games medallist Thakur bagged gold medal after lifting 339kg (Snatch 151kg and Clean and Jerk 188kg).
Thakur had won silver in the 85 kg weight class at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and clinched a bronze in the Gold Coast. Rahul lifted a total weight of 328kg (Snatch 146kg and Clean and Jerk 182kg) to clinch bronze medal. In the women’s 61kg category, Popy Hazarika won gold with a total lift of 193kg (Snatch 84kg and Clean and Jerk 109kg). In the 87kg weight class, Usha Kumara clinched gold with 208kg (Snatch 95kg and Clean and Jerk 113kg). Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Mirabai Chanu, C H Rishikanta Singh and Sanket Sargar have already booked their berth for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.