Soniya,yet so far

Soniya made good her first attempt of 73kg in snatch,and Nwaokolo pitched it up to three more,setting the tone.

Chanu’s next two attempts of 76 kg were matched,as Nwaokolo successfully lifted 76 kg – a new games record bettering Kunjarani Devi’s 75 in 2002 – and then overhauled it with a 77. In clean and jerk,it was again about them both,while others faded into the wings. Chanu began with 94kg,same as Nwaokolo,but this time Sandhya interjected with a games record of 95kg. Nwaokolo soon heaved 98kg,leaving Chanu with a target of 103kg. But it wasn’t India’s day as Chanu totaled only 167kg,while Nwaokolo triumphed with 175kg.

“Luck didn’t favour me,” Soniya said,despondent. “He’d never thought twice before declaring I’d win gold,but I let my coach down,” she rued. Coach Harnam Singh who insisted that there was nothing wrong with his ward’s technique,said,“It’s an individual effort,so the blame primarily rests with the lifter and then with me.”