It wasn’t Sukhen’s day

Sukhen Dey probably heard the Indian national anthem playing in his head as Malaysian weightlifter Ibrahim Amirul Hamizan wobbled dangerously out of control,edging towards the wooden platform. Peeping nervously through the entrance,Dey watched Ibrahim trying to regain control of the weight-shaft,literally walking towards his peril.

In the men’s 56-kg,Ibrahim’s brave strategy was about to backfire. Having led Dey by four kilos in the snatch event (116 to the Indian’s 112 kg),the 29-year old Malaysian had taken it easy in his first clean & jerk attempt,gaining by one kilo to take his overall lead to 5 kgs. But Dey nullified the trail by racing to a six kilo increase in his penultimate attempt. Spurred on by the noisy crowd,Dey hung onto the 140 kg rod,shooting past Ibrahim and into a narrow one kilo (252-251) lead for the first time. But Ibrahim went for broke and collapsed trying to lift 140 kg and it all boiled down to his last lift.

It was then that he did something others wouldn’t dream of: he increased the weight further. The first few seconds were less than impressive. But just a step short of triggering off the hosts’ national anthem for real,Ibrahim’s back leg stopped moving,the front thrust forward to hold support. A few tense seconds later,Ibrahim dropped the 141 kg weight to safety. The Malay led 257-252 now and a minute later,it stayed there as the 146 kg bar slipped out of Dey’s hands,much like India’s gold.

Dey heard Ibrahim hum the Malaysian tune with pride,as the latter become the most successful Commonwealth Games medalist in his country’s history with four career gold medals.

India’s Srinivasa Rao picked bronze.