Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018: Weightlifter Venkat Rahul Ragala adds second gold in India's count on Day 3

New Delhi: India won their fourth gold, their second on Saturday through another weightlifter Venkat Rahul Ragala in the 85 kg category at the Carrara Arena. With four gold, India took its medal tally to six medals in three days at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. 

Ragala, the 21-year-old lifter from Guntur, remained consistent in his attempts, though he missed one each in both Snatch and Clean & Jerk. Samoa's Don Opeloge was a threat but Rahul's 151 kg lift in Snatch gave him an advantage. Though, at the end of snatch, both Rahul and Opeloge were tied at 151 kg. 

But for Rahul, it wasn't anything worth worrying as he had opted 182 kg in the clean and jerk attempt as compared to the 180 kg lifted by Opeloge. He clearly gained a 2kg advantage over Opeloge and bettered it with a 187kg lift. Now the pressure was back on Opeloge as he would have to increase an almost impossible of 8 kgs, in which he failed miserably. 

Rahul then took his last attempt at 191 kg but failed to complete it cleanly. That was the time when Opeloge went ahead and opted for 191kg. Had he lifted that, the gold would have slipped from India's grip but mind you, Opeloge was now trying the impossible. 

Having increased 8kgs in his second try, he was now going for an increase of 11 kg, which according to his standards needed a miracle of an effort to raise it over his head. Opeloge maintained the interest of the audience till the clean but just could complete the jerk. 

Only then was Rahul told backstage that he had won gold. There was no visible delirium on his face as he knew he could have done really better as he had totalled 351 kg in the Commonwealth Championship last year. 

Rahul comes from a family of sportspersons as his father was Kabaddi player and it was him who introduced Rahul to weightlifting at the age of 13 seeing his interest and strength. 

Earlier, Sathish Sivalingam won India their third gold in the 77 kg category.