India had a good start in Commonwealth Games 2022 which are currently being held in the United Kingdom’s Birmingham. The young players of India made the opening weekend quite triumphant as the country has won 3 gold medals, 2 silver and 3 bronze so far adding a total of 6 to the medal tally. Interestingly, all six medals were won in Boxing.
The 3rd gold the country has been won by Achinta Sheuli, a 2o-year old weightlifter from West Bengal in (73 Kg category) on Sunday 31st, July 2022 following Summer Olympic 2020 silver medalist Mirabai Chanu in women (49 kg category) and Jeremy Lalrinnunga (67 kg category).
Achinta Sheuli who won the 6th medal for the country, has secured the gold in his debut in the Commonwealth games and lifted a total weight of 313 Kg (143 kg, 170 kg) to grab the gold at NEC (National Exhibition Centre) Hall on Sunday.
He first broke the game record twice in the Snatch round by lifting 140 kg and 143 kg and then lifted 166 kg and 170 kg in the clean and jerk round to register a Games record for the overall weight.
Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat Muhammad gave a tough competition to Achinta and ended up as the second best lifter in the event wit ha total life of 303 kg (135 kg, 165 kg) following Canada’s Shad Darsigny, the bronze medalist who ended uplifting 298 kg (135kg, 163 kg).
Who is Achinta Sheuli?
Achinta Sheuli, the 20- year old gold medalist hails from a small village named Deulpur of Howrah district of West Bengal. The star player has seen a lot of struggle in his life. Before taking weightlifting as a career, he used to help his mother Poornima Sheuli in embroiling and stitching work, to augment his family’s income.
The star player’s father Jagat Sheuli was a rickshaw-puller and a part-time driver, whose income wasn’t enough to make ends meet, so his mother took to stitching and embroidery to support the family.
In 2013, his father died due to heart -attack and Achinta’s elder brother Alok had to sacrifice his fledgling weightlifting career to look after his family. Alok saw a spark in Achinta and enrolled him in his gym as a member, to later enroll him in weightlifting to realise his unfulfilled dream.
With winning the gold at CWG 2022, the young weightlifter has fulfilled his father’s last wish as well as his brother Alok’s unfulfilled dreams to win gold for the country.
Achinta Sheuli bags #TeamIndia's third 🥇 at @birminghamcg22 👏🎆
All three gold medals so far have been won by our weightlifters 🏋♂️🏋♀️🏋♂️#EkIndiaTeamIndia | @WeAreTeamIndia pic.twitter.com/kCJVxFVNYI
— Team India (@WeAreTeamIndia) July 31, 2022
Achinta with another golden boy Jeremy:
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Achinta Sheuli Early- Career
Achinta took to weightlifting in 2010 and by 2012, he started winning medals at district levels. He went on to win Khelo India Youth Games in 2018 and the following year won his first major medal at the senior level, winning gold in the Commonwealth Championship.
In 2021, he won Silver medal at the World Youth Weightlifting Championship and followed it up with his second Commonwealth Championship gold medal in the same year.
PM Modi’s appreciation-post for Achinta Sheuli post emerging the gold-medalist:
Delighted that the talented Achinta Sheuli has won a Gold Medal at the Commonwealth Games. He is known for his calm nature and tenacity. He has worked very hard for this special achievement. My best wishes to him for his future endeavours. pic.twitter.com/cIWATg18Ce
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 1, 2022
Before our contingent left for the Commonwealth Games, I had interacted with Achinta Sheuli. We had discussed the support he received from his mother and brother. I also hope he gets time to watch a film now that a medal has been won. pic.twitter.com/4g6BPrSvON
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 1, 2022
Other Famous personalities also tweeted:
Truly a proud moment for all of us as the young #AchintaSheuli from West Bengal wins the third gold medal at CWG, 2022.
Heartfelt congratulations to him. Your success will serve as an inspiration to countless others in the country. All the best for your future endeavours!
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 1, 2022
Another gold! India on fire! Congratulations #AchintaSheuli pic.twitter.com/umjhIcnvS0
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) August 1, 2022
India wins 3rd Gold Medal in the #CommonwealthGames 2022 ! Achinta Sheuli won Gold Medal in men's 73kg Weightlifting!
Congratulations #AchintaSheuli for making India proud 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/DDIs2LYHSt
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) July 31, 2022
Do you really need to look anywhere else for #MondayMotivation ? 3 athletes who showed us how to turn the ‘weight’ we carry—into gold… #MirabaiChanu #JeremyLalrinnunga #AchintaSheuli pic.twitter.com/cm6FB56GJR
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) August 1, 2022
