Weightlifting gold to Pakistan

Chinthana Wasala

WEIGHTLIFTING: The Pakistan national anthem was played twice while Sri Lanka accounted two silver medals at the weightlifting competition of the 10th South Asian Games continued at the Colombo University Gymnasium yesterday.

Shuja Ud Din clinched the gold medal in men's 94kg weightlifting event with a new Games record while Muhammad Irfan emerged victorious in men's 85kg event.

Sri Lanka's competitors - Upul Bandara Jayathileke and Ransilu Jayathileke could only finish behind the two Pakistanis in their respective events to settle for silver medals. Biddut Kumar Roy of Bangladesh (men's 94kg) and Gyan Shrestha of Nepal (men's 85kg) won the bronze medals).

On his way to a new Games record, Shuja Ud Din lifted 140kg in the snatch event and 180kg in the clean and jerk event to total of 320kg.

Ransilu Jayathileke had a total lift of 270kg - 120kg snatch and 150kg clean and jerk. The 19-year-old Kingswoodian did well to give a good fight to his Pakistani opponent. The youngest Sri Lankan ever to win a weightlifting silver medal, Ransilu Jayatillake has been the silver medallist at the last edition of the SAG in Islamabad two years ago. He is coached by D.V.M. Jayathileke, his father, at the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) Gymnasium, Kandy.

On his way to the gold in men's 85kg weight category, Irfan lifted a total of 285kgs (130kg snatch and 155kg clean and jerk).

Meanwhile, Upul Bandara Jayathileke, also a product of the Kandy YMCA, lifted a total of 267kg with 112kg in snatch and 155kg in the clean and jerk to settle for the silver.

He has been training under the national coach, Athula Wijewickrama.