E-Paper
Weighty issue: Mali loses out to Marineau by 0.41 kg
For the India weightlifting contingent, it was a case of 'so near yet so far' on Friday as Dadu Chandrakant Mali, competing in the 85 kg men's category, lost the bronze on the basis of his body weight despite totalling the same lift as Canadian Mathieu Marineau.
For the India weightlifting contingent, it was a case of 'so near yet so far' on Friday as Dadu Chandrakant Mali, competing in the 85 kg men's category, lost the bronze on the basis of his body weight despite totalling the same lift as Canadian Mathieu Marineau.
After they were tied on scores for the bronze, their weights had to be taken into account. But Mali lost out as he weighed just 0.41 kg more than Marineau. Both lifted a total of 325 kg.
Mali who began the competition on good note managed to lift 145 kg in the snatch however when it came to the clean and jerk the Indian faltered in his third and final attempted where he attempted to lift a total of 182 kg.
The 23-year-old lad from Kolhapur didn't find words to express his disappointment. Father Dadu Mali, though, said: "He did his best, it was just bad luck that he lost today."
Son of a farmer, Chandrakant took to weightlifting in 2003 after his father encouraged him to join a gym to build his body as that would help him in ploughing field.
"I told him to join a gym to build his body and there he met his first coach Pradeep Patil
who spotted potential in him. He trained him till he made it to the Indian team," added Dadu Mali.
On the other hand, Australia continued to dominate the Games as Simplice Ribouem won gold after lifting a total of 333, followed by New Zealand's Richard Patterson who managed to lift two less than the gold medallist.
