CWG: Weightlifter Vikas Thakur strikes silver in men's 96kg
Birmingham, Aug 2: Indian heavyweight lifter Vikas Thakur added yet another Commonwealth Games medal to his kitty, winning a silver in the men's 96kg here on Tuesday.
The seasoned Thakur lifted a total of 346kg (155kg+191kg) to finish second and claim his third CWG medal across three editions.
It was Thakur's second silver, having finished second in the 2014 Glasgow edition as well. In Gold Coast, he had returned with a bronze.
Samoa's Don Opeloge 381kg (171kg+210kg) bettered his 2018 silver by clinching gold with a record breaking performance.
Fiji's Taniela Tuisuva Rainibogi walked away with the bronze with a total effort of 343kg (155kg+188kg).
Thakur, a five-time Commonwealth Championships medallist, had three clean lifts of 149kg, 153kg and 155kg to be in joint third-position after the snatch round.
In the clean and jerk section, Thakur started off with a 187kg lift, which he executed perfectly.
His second attempt was of 191kg , which took some effort but the Punjab lifter was able to pull it off and celebrated it with a 'thigh-five' made popular by Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan.
With a silver assured, Thakur went for 198kg, a kilogram more than his personal best, in his third attempt but was unsuccessful.
But the event belonged to Opeloge, who smashed the Games record in snatch, clean and jerk and total lift.
The 23-year-old Samoan celebrated his stellar show with a groovy dance at the end.
It was heartbreak for home favourite Cyrille Tchatchet who failed to register a single legal lift in clean and jerk.
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No date fixed yet for leadership change in Karnataka: Cong chief Kharge
Kalaburagi (Karnataka) (PTI): Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said that no date has been fixed yet to discuss possible leadership change in Karnataka.
His statement came amid intensifying speculation over a power tussle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar.
Addressing a press conference here, Kharge maintained that any decision regarding leadership would be taken collectively by the party's high command after due consultation.
He also cautioned against misinterpretation of his remarks.
"See, we will take a decision together, the three of us: I as the AICC president, Sonia Gandhi as the Congress Parliamentary Party president, and Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. That is why we always act together," he explained.
Kharge further said, "When the three of us fix a date together, we will take a decision. Since no date has been fixed yet, how can I say whether a change is happening or not?"
He asserted that the Congress leadership follows a consultative process before arriving at any conclusion.
"In the high command, we have extensive discussions among ourselves and also consult other senior leaders. We consider what the outcome would be and then take steps accordingly," the Congress chief said.
Stressing that no timeline had been finalised, he said, "When it happens, I will definitely inform you. Please do not misinterpret this."
He noted that he often avoids commenting publicly to prevent misrepresentation.
Emphasising party discipline, Kharge said any eventual decision would be binding on all.
"Whatever decision is taken, it will be in the interest of the state, and everyone will have to support whatever decision the high command takes," he said.
On Thursday, Kharge said there was no change of CM in Karnataka "for now" and that the leadership issue in the state would be resolved soon.
The remarks come amid ongoing speculation over an alleged understanding for a power transfer to Shivakumar when the Congress government completes its halfway mark in November 2025.
While Siddaramaiah has asserted that he intends to complete a full five-year term, he has also said he would abide by any decision taken by the party leadership.
Recently, Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh's Delhi visit triggered speculation of a leadership change. His supporters are also charged up.
