Pakistani weightlifter breaks record at Commonwealth Games

Talha Talib lifts 132kg in snatch to open medals tally for county with bronze

KARACHI: The 18-year-old Talha Talib smashed the Commonwealth record with 132kg in the snatch event and opened the tally for Pakistan as he took bronze medal in the 62kg weightlifting competition at the Commonwealth Games 2018 in Gold Coast on Thursday.

The Gujranwala-based athlete had earlier won gold in the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Gold Coast last year, while he had been dreaming of representing the country at the Olympics in 2020.

The national champion, in 62kg category, lifted a total weight of 283kg. He made a new record at the games in snatch as he lifted 132kg in the third attempt with 127kg and 130kg in the first two attempts respectively.

He lost the chance to lift gold after he lifted 151kg in the second clean and jerk attempt and failed to lift more in the third which cost him the gold.

He lost to Malaysia's Anzil Bidin, who lifted 288kg for gold and Papua New Guinea's Morea Baru who lifted 286kg for silver.

Pakistan Weightlifting Federation had been preparing the athletes for the event for over a year and the country will be pinning their hopes on Nooh Dastagir Butt now in the +105kg.

Pakistan has fielded weightlifters in five categories and the squad has two reserved players as well.