New Delhi: India’s Renu Bala Chanu, who on Wednesday did the country proud by winning a weightlifting gold medal in the ongoing Commonwealth Games, was forced to take an auto rickshaw on her way back to the Games Village.
According to reports, Chanu, who was accompanied by her family members, had to wait for over five hours before being forced to arrange for her own transport as no Games official was present at the scene.
Earlier, Renu Bala Chanu not just gave India its first gold in Commonwealth Games weightlifting event but she also proved her supremacy as she left her competitors far behind to finish on top in women’s 58-kg category.
She lifted 197 kgs to bag the first position with ease, while her closest competitor -- the silver medallist Seen Lee of Australia finished five points behind her at 192 kgs, while Zoe Smith claimed the bronze with 188 kgs.
Having fulfilled huge expectations of her coaches, the federation, former players and countrymen, Renu Bala heaved a sigh of relief.
“I am very happy that I could win a gold medal and live up to the expectations of everyone. I would like to dedicate this medal to God, my family, the federation and my coaches,” said the lifter from Manipur, who is the third one from that state to win a medal after Soniya Chanu (silver in women’s 48 kgs) and Sandhaya Rani Devi (bronze in women 48 kgs).
Renu Bala outshone all her competitors as she smoothly lifted all the weights in both snatch and clean and jerk events before failing in her last attempt of 103 kgs in latter category, but by then she had already pocketed the No. 1 position and that did not make a difference to the final result.
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