CWG 2018: Weightlifters Mirabai Chanu, Gururaja set the stage on fire on Day 1
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Image Source : Getty ImagesA record-smashing Mirabai Chanu and a perseverant P Gururaja claimed gold and silver respectively as weightlifters lived up to the pre-event hype by delivering opening-day medals for India while star badminton players added to the cheer by making a winning start in the 21st Commonwealth Games, here.
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Chanu smashed the Games records in 48kg category snatch, clean and jerk and overall en route her gold-medal winning performance, which fetched her a thunderous applause from the Australian fans, who queued up to take her autograph after the medal ceremony. Chanu managed to lift 196kg (86kg+110kg) in a remarkable effort.
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Earlier, Gururaja survived a few anxious moments after two failed attempts in clean and jerk to claim a silver medal. The 25-year-old son of a truck driver equalled his personal best of 249kg (111kg+138kg) to finish second in the event and ensure that India woke up to the news of a medal on the very first day of competitions.
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M Raja (62kg) was the third weightlifter in contention today but he lost out to much superior competition and finished sixth overall with a total effort of 266kg (116kg+150kg).
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Saina later in action against Pakistan as well and was her usual clinical self against Mahoor Shahzad, claiming a straight-game triumph in 26 minutes to ensure that India had a winning day to celebrate.
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Veteran Manoj Kumar (69kg) was the lone boxer in action today and the 2010 CWG gold-medallist hammered Nigeria's Osita Umeh to move into the pre-quarterfinals. The former Asian medallist won on a unanimous decision.
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On the squash court, Dipika Pallikal and Joshna Chinnappa, who would be defending their women's doubles gold medal, made winning starts in their singles competitions. While Pallikal got the better of Trinidad and Tobago's Charlotte Knaggs, Chinnappa sailed past Papua and New Guinea Lynette Vai.
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The table tennis players got past their initial hurdles rather easily with the women's team defeating Sri Lanka 3-0. The men's team blanked Trinidad and Tobago 3-0 before beating Northern Ireland by a similar margin.
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In the swimming pool, Virdhawal Khade qualified for the semifinals of the 50m men's butterfly event but could not make the final, finishing 15th overall. Sajan Prakash failed to even make the semifinals in the same event.