India's Weightlifting Team Powered the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Campaign

Weightlifting once again proved to be India's biggest medal factory at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. 

Carrying the expectations of a nation, the 15-member Indian squad delivered a remarkable performance, winning eight medals, including three gold, three silver and two bronze, to finish as the best-performing nation in weightlifting.

The campaign showcased India's depth across men's and women's categories, with Olympic medallists living up to expectations while several emerging lifters announced themselves on the international stage. From Saikhom Mirabai Chanu's record-breaking gold to breakthrough titles for Jeremy Lalrinnunga and Achinta Sheuli, Birmingham became another memorable chapter in India's rich Commonwealth weightlifting history.

India arrived in Birmingham with a balanced squad of 15 weightlifters, comprising eight men and seven women.

Four athletes Jeremy Lalrinnunga, Achinta Sheuli, Ajay Singh and Purnima Pandey earned direct qualification by winning gold medals at the 2021 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The remaining lifters secured their places through the IWF Commonwealth Ranking List, reflecting India's consistent performances across international competitions leading up to the Games.

The selection blended experienced campaigners with rising stars, giving India medal hopes in multiple weight categories.

India's weightlifting campaign began in spectacular fashion. Competing in the 55kg category, Sanket Sargar won India's first medal of the Games, claiming silver with a total lift of 248kg.

Sargar produced the best snatch lift of the competition at 113kg, putting himself in contention for gold before eventually finishing second after the clean and jerk event.

His silver medal not only opened India's account in Birmingham but also provided early momentum for the entire contingent.

Shortly afterwards, Gururaja Poojary added another medal by winning bronze in the 61kg category with a combined lift of 269kg, further strengthening India's position on the medal table.

The biggest highlights of India's men's campaign came through two young lifters who dominated their respective categories. Jeremy Lalrinnunga produced one of the finest performances of the Games in the 67kg category, winning gold with a Games Record total of 300kg. The youngster set a Games Record in the snatch with a lift of 140kg before finishing strongly in the clean and jerk to comfortably secure the title.

Not to be outdone, Achinta Sheuli delivered another commanding performance in the 73kg division. Sheuli lifted 143kg in the snatch and 170kg in the clean and jerk, setting Games Records in both lifts and the overall total of 313kg.

His dominant victory confirmed India's strength in the middleweight categories and established him as one of the country's brightest weightlifting prospects.

If there was one athlete carrying the weight of expectation in Birmingham, it was Olympic silver medallist Saikhom Mirabai Chanu. The reigning Commonwealth champion produced a flawless performance in the 49kg category, successfully defending her title with a Games Record total of 201kg. Mirabai began by setting a Commonwealth Games record in the snatch with 88kg, before adding a Games Record clean and jerk of 113kg.

Her performance left little doubt about her superiority, as she comfortably finished atop the podium to give India another gold medal. The victory further cemented Mirabai's legacy as one of India's greatest-ever weightlifters and one of the country's most consistent performers on the international stage.

India's women maintained the momentum beyond Mirabai's gold. Bindyarani Devi produced an outstanding display in the 55kg category, winning silver with a national record total of 202kg. She also set a Games Record in the clean and jerk with 116kg, showcasing her remarkable strength despite narrowly missing gold overall.

Harjinder Kaur added another medal in the 71kg category, claiming bronze after lifting a total of 212kg. While Popy Hazarika, Usha Kumara and Purnima Pandey finished outside the medals, each gained valuable experience competing against some of the Commonwealth's strongest lifters.

The only disappointment came in the 76kg category, where Punam Yadav was unable to register a successful clean and jerk attempt after a promising snatch phase, resulting in a Did Not Finish (DNF).

India's medal haul continued in the heavier men's categories. Vikas Thakur secured silver in the 96kg division with a combined lift of 346kg, narrowly missing gold after another consistent performance. In the 109kg category, Lovepreet Singh won bronze, setting national records in both the snatch and overall total with 355kg.

The final medal came through Gurdeep Singh, who claimed bronze in the +109kg category. His 223kg clean and jerk established a new national record, underlining India's improving standards even in the heavyweight classes. Although Ajay Singh narrowly missed the podium with a fourth-place finish in the 81kg category, his performance further demonstrated the depth within India's weightlifting programme.

By the conclusion of the competition, India had collected eight medals, making weightlifting the country's most successful sport at Birmingham 2022. The performances reflected years of systematic investment in coaching, international exposure and grassroots talent identification. The emergence of lifters such as Jeremy Lalrinnunga and Achinta Sheuli ensured that India's future looked just as promising as its present, while veterans like Mirabai Chanu continued to set the benchmark for excellence.

More importantly, India's success was built not on one or two standout performances but on contributions across multiple weight categories in both the men's and women's competitions.

The Birmingham campaign reaffirmed India's status as one of the Commonwealth's premier weightlifting nations. With three gold medals, multiple Games and national records, and consistent podium finishes across categories, India's lifters once again demonstrated why weightlifting remains one of the country's strongest medal-winning disciplines on the international stage.