Itanagar: Arunachal weightlifter Jimjang Deru has brought laurels to the state by creating three new national records in the ongoing 8th Youth National Weightlifting Championship at Nehru stadium, New Delhi.
He broke the previous record of Sukhen Dey set in 2005 during Bhilai Youth National Weightlifting Championships by lifting one kg more weight. Dey was the lone Indian male weightlifter in 2012 London Olympics.
Deru lifted a total of 193 kg (snatch 86 kg + Clean and Jerk 107 kg) to win three gold medals on Wednesday, official sources informed here on Friday.
Earlier, Yukar Sibi from Arunachal set up a national record in the men`s 62kg category by lifting 151kg in the clean and jerk in the 63rd men`s and 26th women`s senior National weightlifting championships in 2011.
Initially Deru was given Judo training by Yum Panku, Judo Coach of Sange Laden Sports Academy, Chimpu. Later, he was picked by Army Sports Institute, Pune in a sport talent hunt and nurtured and coached in weightlifting discipline.
Other lifters participating in the championships are Gungte Yangfo, Langfu Roman, Sambo Lapung, Khang Kang Kong khang and Lalu Taku. Top lifters, including Sibi, Soram Hitlar Tagru and Kojum Taba could not take part due to injuries. The team is being led by Coach Premita Devi.
Meanwhile, the Arunachal Weightlifting Association president Abraham K Techi has congratulated Deru, his team of coaches for the outstanding performance. He also expressed gratitude to Major S S Rao and Commandant, Army Sports Institute, Pune, who took lots of pain to come to Arunachal in 2009 and nurtured Arunachalee talents.
PTI
First Published: Friday, December 14, 2012, 11:07