Commonwealth Games in Melbourne:

Vidanage bags Sri Lanka's first gold in 12 years

GAMES: Sri Lanka bagged its first Commonwealth Games gold medal in 12 years when weightlifter Chinthana Vidanage finished on top in men's 62 kg weight class on day two of the 71-nation event continued in Melbourne, Australia yesterday.

Vidanage, who went to the Victorian capital with high hopes, lived up to expectations and made Sri Lanka proud.

The 25-year-old Lankan lifted 153kg in round three of the clean & jerk to make the lion flag fluttering high. Vidanage, who weighed at 61.79kg, had a snatch figure of 118kg to total 271kg. In clean & jerk, he had 145kg in round one to warm up for the title.

Sri Lanka's last Commonwealth Games medal was won by shooters Pushpamali Ramanayake and Mali Wickremasinghe in women's air rifle team event at the 1994 Commonwealth Games.

However, hurdler Sriyani Kulawansa won women's 100m hurdles silver medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.

Speaking to Sri Lankan mediamen after his victory, Vidanage said he tried hard for the big day. "I came to Australia with a hope of a medal. I knew I was somewhere there. But I really worked hard to achieve this success. I am glad that I was able to make my country proud," he said.

President Mahinda Rajapakse was amongst the first to send a congratulatory message to Vidanage. The President has commended the feat of the 25-year-old Lankan weightlifter and has sated that Vidanage has given the best reward that he could give to Mother Lanka.

Meanwhile, President of the Sri Lanka Weightlifting Association, H.M. Gunaratne Banda said his discipline was one of the brightest medal prospects for the country.

"Even before the Games, we knew he had a chance of winning a medal. He was somewhere above the silver and had a good chance. I am gland that Vidanage bagged a gold to open a new chapter in Sri Lanka weightlifting," he said.

Sri Lanka weightlifting chief said it is the first time that Sri Lanka has won a gold medal at international level, beyond South Asian level.

Vidanage's team mate Antony Sudesh finished 12th with a lift of 130kg in clean & jerk.

Canadian Maryse Turcotte set two new Commonwealth Games records in the final of the Women's 53kg Weightlifting.

Turcotte led the Snatch with 80kg, and lifted 108kg on her third attempt of the Clean and Jerk to finish with a record total of 188kg. She also broke the Games Clean and Jerk Record twice with lifts of 105kg and 108kg.

Papua New Guinea's Dika Toua lifted 181kg to take the silver ahead of Australia's Nadeene Latif who claimed the bronze medal at 152kg in her first time Commonwealth Games. Latif finished the Snatch event with 66kg and the Clean and Jerk with 86kg.

Of her performance, Turcotte commented "I'm very happy about my result, it was hard to concentrate during the competition as I kept thinking this is one of my last lifts. It was hard to take, which is why I looked so sad at the presentation."

Turcotte has lifted in 11 consecutive World Championships and Olympic Games. After the event, Latif said she had wanted to do the same as fellow

Australian weightlifter, Erika Yamasaki. "It was really great to have my mum, dad, boyfriend and friends cheering me on. I watched Erika take bronze last night and wanted to do the same." The Weightlifting competition runs until 24 March.

Meanwhile, defending Commonwealth Games gold medallists New Zealand have won their third consecutive gold medal in the Rugby 7s after defeating England by 29 points to 21.

England were playing in their first Commonwealth Games gold medal match after earlier defeating Fiji 21-14. New Zealand made it to the final by beating Australia 21-19.

Fiji beat Australia 24-17 to take out the bronze medal. Kenya defeated Uganda 29-0 to advance to the Bowl Final with Tonga who beat Scotland 12-5.

Wales defeated South Africa 29-28 in a close Plate Final. Kenya won the Bowl Final 26-12 over Tonga.

Strong performances on the beam and the vault helped the Australian gymnasts secure the Women's Team gold medal ahead of England and Canada.

The Australians scored 172.600 points to win by 8.250 points from England, which was without its injured captain, Beth Tweddle. Australian captain, Monette Russo, competed with an ankle injury, but produced a particularly strong routine.

The Australian team included Hollie Dykes in her first senior international competition performance.

"I think it's very exciting especially for my first comp, " she said afterwards.

"It was really exciting, it just lifted me." Canada won the bronze medal with 162.550 points.