Sarabjit’s effort adds weight to his resume

Despite his hulking frame,Sarabjit Singh doesn’t look intimidating. What he does look,however,is a champion. The towering Punjab Police lifter managed to prove it yet again on Sunday when he broke his own national weightlifting record in the over 105kg category during the selection trials for the Commonwealth Games. Even though it is uncertain if his successful attempt of lifting 380kg — 165kg in snatch and 215kg in clean and jerk — would make it to the official record books,given that the trials are not exactly a competition,it nevertheless proved that the Indian was on course in his preparations for the October games.

The Games record at present is 390kg (180+217),set way back in 1967 by New Zealand’s Nigel Avery. And,if not for a troubling muscle injury in his hand which has kept Sarabjit from giving his best shot he would have inched closer to that mark. “I have been suffering from a hand muscle strain which keeps recurring. I am working on it but at the same time,am also cautious in not straining it too much for fear of a major injury. I am not doing my best because I want to preserve myself for the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games after that. But I am hopeful of a medal-winning performance at the Games,” he said.

Sarabjit started slowly,lifting 155kg in snatch for his first attempt — and failing. But his next two attempts of 160kg and 165kg were successful,as were all his three attempts in clean and jerk — of 200,208 and 215kg. The performance bettered his own previous record of 372kg set during the 2007 National Games in Guwahati.

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Meanwhile,L Monika Devi returned to competition with a bang after a two-year ban for doping,winning in the 75kg category with a total lift of 215 kg. Monika,who was prevented from going for the Beijing Olympics at the 11th hour,said the Commonwealth Games were an opportunity for her to silence her critics. “That controversy was the most difficult period of my career. I was devastated and even contemplated suicide at one point. But now I am out of it,” she said. “I will not feel complete as a weightlifter without the Games gold.”

In other results,Chandrakant Dadu Mali lifted 319kg in the men’s 85kg category,VA Christopher lifted 318kg in 94kg while Pardeep Singh totalled 312kg in the 105kg. Among women,Geeta Rani lifted 222kg in the +75kg.