Commonwealth Games: Who is Indian weightlifter Achinta Sheuli?
Achinta Sheuli added to India's tally of medals in weightlifting at the 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG) on Sunday. Sheuli clinched the gold medal in the men's 73kg final, India's third in the ongoing Games. He successfully lifted 143kg in snatch and 170kg in clean and jerk categories to register a record-breaking 313kg. Sheuli claimed the sixth medal for India at CWG 2022.
How did Sheuli fare in the final?
Sheuli lifted was on the money right from the start. He lifted 137kg in his first snatch attempt, 140 in the second, and 143 in the third. This gave him a 5kg cushion over everyone else. Sheuli then lifted 166kg in his first attempt in clean and jerk. Although he failed to lift 170kg in his second attempt, the third attempt handed him glory.
India's third gold medalist
As stated, Sheuli became the third gold medalist for India at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Earlier, Jeremy Lalrinnunga and Mirabai Chanu unlocked the achievement in the men's 67kg final and women's 49kg final, respectively.
Who is Achinta Sheuli?
Achinta Sheuli, who hails from Howrah, West Bengal, was born on November 24, 2001. His late father worked as a laborer in the town. The death of his father forced Sheuli to stitch and embroider to earn his daily bread. He looked up to his brother, who later inspired him to take up weightlifting. Sheuli then started competing in weightlifting competitions.
A look at his notable achievements
In the past few years, Sheuli has scaled heights in weightlifting. The 20-year-old claimed his first senior-level major medal at the Commonwealth Championships in 2018. In 2021, he secured the silver medal at the Junior World Weightlifting Championships. He also won gold at the Commonwealth Championships that year. Sheuli successfully lifted a total of 316kg in the men's 73kg event.
Sheuli joined the Army Sports Institute
In 2015, Sheuli joined the Army Sports Institute. He also moved to the Indian National Camp in the same year. In the following years, Sheuli continued to train at ASI and excel in weightlifting. Since 2018, he has been at the National camp.
