Weightlifter Lovepreet claims bronze on CWG debut
Birmingham, Aug 3: India's Lovepreet Singh won a bronze in men's 109 kg to continue the country's medal rush in weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games here on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old son of a tailor from Ludhiana lifted a personal best of 355 kg, including a new national record of 192 kg in clean and jerk, to finish third on the podium.
A steady Lovepreet improved from 157kg to 163kg in his final attempt of snatch to be joint second with Canadian Pierre-Alexandre Bessette. However, the intense competition got the better of him in the clean and jerk, as he slipped to third position.
"I could not have been happier. This was my first big competition at the International stage and I produced my best ever show to return with a medal," said the former Commonwealth junior champion.
Junior Nyabeyeu of Cameroon claimed the gold medal with a total lift of 361 kg, while Jack Opeloge of Samoa bagged the silver by lifting 358 kg in the event.
Lovepreet could have joined his father's business, but his family wanted to make him a sportsperson, and his journey began at the age of 13 by training at the DAV Ground.
"Like every other athlete I too faced a lot of hardships, including financial constraints, but my parents ensured that I kept going."
Life changed after the heavyweight lifter joined Indian Navy in 2015, and then moved to the national camp at Patiala.
He went on to win the 2017 Commonwealth Junior Championship, and in the same year, bagged a bronze at the Asian Junior Championship.
In his maiden CWG, he had successful lifts in all his attempts in both snatch and clean-jerk, displaying his composure.
"This was my first major competition so obviously I was under pressure. But nerves settled after my first lift as I gradually kept on improving," he said.
Asked about missing the silver by three kilograms, he said: "I fought for it but the competition was tough. This has been my best ever show so I couldn't have been happier."
"We have National Games next and the next major competition is the Asian Games, but I don't have a category there. They have a weight category of 102kg there, so we will take a call," the lifter said.
"This medal is dedicated to all my coaches, family, parents and fellow countrymen," he added.
India have so far won nine medals in the weightlifting arena at the National Exhibition Centre, including three gold, to lead standings in the discipline. They have two more events lined up.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
