Bindyarani Devi extended India's medal streak in weightlifting, winning silver in the 55kg division with a total lift of 202kg (Snatch - 86kg, Clean & Jerk - 116kg). The 23-year-old managed a personal best, national record and Commonwealth Games record in Clean & Jerk, with Adijat Adenike Olarinoye of Nigeria winning gold with 203 kg (92 + 111). Fraer Morrow of England finished with 198kg to earn the bronze.
Bindyarani began her snatch event with a successful 81 kg lift, which put her in the lead at that moment. She improved to 84kg in her second attempt, with was a Commonwealth Games record at the time. It was broken moments after as Morrow lifted 86kg, which Bindyarani was able to equal in her final attempt. Morrow bettered the games record to 89kg in her second attempt, but failed in her final attempt of 91 kg. Olarinoye then took things to another level, lifting 90kg, 92kg before being unable to lift 93kg.
After Morrow lifted 109kg in the clean & jerk in her second attempt, Bindyarani managed to lift 110kg to cement her medal. Olarinoye attempted to lift 110kg in her first attempt, but was unable to complete it. She did, however lift it in her second attempt, before bettering it to 111kg in her final attempt to take her total to 203kg.
Morrow failed in her final attempt, with Bindyarani attempting to lift 114kg in her second effort and failing. Despite not needing to increase her weight in her final attempt as 114kg was enough for silver, Bidyarani raised the stakes to 116kg and created a CWG record, while also cementing her silver.
"It is my first CWG and I feel very happy about the silver and about the Games record as well," Bindyarani said after the event.
Daughter of a farmer who also owns grocery shop, Bindyarani took up weightlifting due to her short height.
"I was into taekwondo from 2008 to 2012 after that I shifted to weightlifting. I had a height problem so had to shift. Everyone told my height is ideal for weightlifting. So I changed."
CWG 2022 Day 2: As it happened
Bindyarani was supposed to compete in the 59kg division at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games as part of a plan to increase chances of winning medals but this was rejected because of a rule change which stated that only the top-ranked lifter in a category will qualify for the CWG and if he/she withdraws, the next best lifter will not get the berth, as was the case before.
So, Bindyarani was back to her preferred weight category - 55kg.
Records
Bindyarani won the gold at the 2019 Commonwealth Championships and followed it with a silver in the 2021 edition. Nigeria's Adijat Olarinoye won the gold. At the 2021 World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Bindyarani won gold in the clean and jerk category with a lift of 114kg. Overall, she was placed fourth with a total lift of 198kg, but this earned her a national record.