Sukhen Dey striking the gold medal in the men’s 56kg category rounded off a brilliant opening day for India in the weightlifting competitions of the 20th Commonwealth Games late on Thursday night.

Coming as it does after the 1-2 finish through Sanjita Khumukcham Chanu and Mirabai Saikhom Chanu in the women’s 48kg, the Indian domination was complete when Malli Ganesh took the bronze medal behind Sukhen and Mohammed Zulheni Pisol (Malaysia).

Ganesh, in fact, was a trifle unlucky as it was the poor performance in the first two rounds of clean and jerk which cost him the gold medal. The Pune-born had led the field after the snatch with a best of 111kg ahead of Sukhen (109) and Pisol (108).

However, into the final part, Ganesh failed in his attempt in the opening lift of 133kg which he could eventually manage only in his last and third attempt.

Sukhen took full advantage of this as he stormed ahead with a lift of 139kg to finish with a total of 248kg.

Pisol was second with a total of 245kg after clearing 137kg in the snatch and jerk, while Ganesh could muster a total of 244kg only.

Gold for Sanjita

Earlier on Thursday, Sanjita and teammate Mirabai, both from Manipur, did India proud by winning for the country its first two medals.

The Indians were far superior to the rest of 10-lifter field in the women’s 48kg category at the Clyde auditorium and were left to fight between themselves for the gold and silver medals, almost right from the start of the competition.

Sanjita and Mirabahi finished in that order, with a total of 173 kg and 170 kg, ahead of Nigerian Nkechi Opara (162 kg).

The dominance of the Indian duo was very much evident during the first part of the competition itself — the snatch.

While the others struggled even with their listed weights, there was no stopping Sanjita and Mirabai who, with lifts of 77kg and 75kg, made it clear that they were the ones to beat.

Sanjita started with 72kg and progressed with weights of 75kg and 77kg through her next two attempts while Mirabai failed to earn the nod of the judges in her second, with an attempt of 75kg.

She did clear the weight in her third effortlessly, but this did put her under considerable pressure in the light of the 2-kg lead enjoyed by the 20-year-old Sanjita.

There was a gasp or two in the Indian camp as Sanjita failed with her initial attempt of 92kg in clean and jerk. But the lifter, who was staging a comeback into international competition after a gap of two years owing to injury, did keep her cool and lifted 96kg in her third trial.

The 19-year-old Mirabai had earned the lights in her first and second lifts, weighing 92kg and 95, and though she did make an attempt to lift 98kg in the third, it proved futile.