Kathmandu, January 8:

Kamal Bahadur Adhikari of Tribhuvan Army Club and Raj Laxmi Thapa of Nepal Police — who happen to be husband and wife — have set a three national records in weightlifting.

Competing in the Birthday Cup Open Men’s and Women’s Weightlifting Championship, Adhikari set new records in snatch, clean and jerk, and total in the men’s 69kg event. He set a record of 110kg in snatch, 140kg in clean and jerk, for a total of 250kg. His previous records were — snatch (105.5), clean and jerk (135) and total (240.5). Before setting the national records, Adhikari broke the previous record earlier with 107.5kg in snatch, 136kg in clean and jerk.

In the women’s 63kg, Raj Laxmi set national records surpassing her previous best of 52.5kg (snatch), 66kg (clean and jerk) and 119.5kg (total). She now has a record of 55kg (snatch), 70kg (clean and jerk) and 125kg (total). Before setting the new records, she also surpassed her own best of 53kg (snatch), 66.6kg (clean and jerk). In the women’s 48kg event, Nita Thapa of MPC also set national record lifting 118.5kg surpassing previous record of 118kg. Tara Devi Pun of Nepal Police recorded another national record (76kg) in women’s 69kg clean and jerk. Niti Thapa of Parsa won the women’s 53kg event.

Other men’s section winners were Punnu Tandukar (56kg), Bikash Thapa (62kg), Raju Rana (77kg), Gyan Bahadur Shrestha (85kg), Punti Lal Yadav (94kg), Gopal Bahadur Shrestha (105kg).