Sanket Sargar Mahadev, a student of Shivaji University, Kolhapur, competed in the 55kg men's category for India in the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham on Saturday (July 30). Sanket's teammates were confident that the 21-year-old was a strong medal contender. A resident of Maharashtra's Sangli, is a three-time national champion who's father runs a paan shop. The young gun won the first medal for India at the CWG 2022, his gold medal was snatched by a difference of 1kg after he injured his left elbow while attempting a Clean and Jerk lift of 143 kgs.


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"If I can win gold, I am sure recognition will come my way. It is my dream to be able to support my father and show him my gratitude for all that he has done for me," said Sargar to Economictimes before CWG 2022.


Sanket had broken the commonwealth and national record earlier as he lifted 256 kg (snatch- 113 kg; clean and jerk - 143 kg) at the Singapore Weightlifting International in February this year. He was a gold medallist in the Commonwealth Championships in December 2021. Notably, Sargar struggled for a stable job and use to help his father's paan shop and food stall, with a dream that one day his father can take a break.


"Unless things go dramatically wrong, I am expecting a gold medal from him," said Sargar's coach about the 21-year-old earlier.



Notably, the young gun from India was successful in all his three attempts to lift - 107, 111 and 113 kg. 


Bib Aniq of Malaysia finished with a record of 249 kg (107 in Snatch and 142 in Clean & Jerk) to snatch the gold medal from Sanket. The 21-year-old Indian lifter ended up injuring himself lifting 143kgs. He finished at 248 kgs with (113 in Snatch and 135 in Clean and Jerk. Sri Lanka's Dilanka Yodage clinced the bronze medal finishing with 225 kg.