Jalandhar-based Pardeep Singh's weightlifting journey started in government school

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Twenty-three-year-old Pardeep Singh's weightlifting career began in a government school in Jalandhar's Manki village. After being advised to train with a teacher, Singh slowly picked up the ropes of the sport. 

Last year, in the qualifying event for Commonwealth Games, the weightlifter overhauled the national senior record in the snatch event after lifting 147kg in snatch and 195kg in clean and jerk for a total of 342kg in 105kg category.

On Day 5 in Gold Coast, Singh - the reigning Commonwealth Championships gold-medallist = lifted a total of 352kg (152kg+200kg) to win a silver for India after a close showdown with Samoa's Sanele Mao. 

He went for 211kg lift, which could have been a new Commonwealth Games record in clean and jerk, but could not pull it off in his final attempt.

Singh started with an unsuccessful attempt of 148 kg. In the second attempt, he gained some ground, successfully lifting the weight. He sat comfortably in the second position with the third attempt of 152 kg – four kilos above his previous two. Finally, in clean and jerk, he lifted 200 kg – four kilos over his personal best of 196 kg.

Mao, meanwhile, dropped his final attempt of 211kg but had managed to lift 206kg in his second chance. He finished with a total of 360kg (154kg+206kg).

Singh had earlier won four Gold medals in the Junior National Weightlifting Championship. 

India had a great fourth day at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast on Sunday. India won three gold, one silver and two bronze to take their overall medal tally to 12.