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Lifter Thapa claims gold

Lifter Thapa claims gold

By Rup Narayan Dhakal

Lifter Bikash Thapa celebrates after winning gold medal in Pokhara, on Friday. Photo: THT

Pokhara, December 6 Bikash Thapa won the 89kg weight category gold medal in weightlifting championship under the 13th South Asian Games here at the SRKC Banquet today. Thapa lifted 123kg in snatch and 146kg in clean and jerk for the total lift of 269kg to finish first with national records. Bangladesh’s Shakayet Hossain finished second with 268kg after he lifted 12kg in snatch and 145kg in clean and jerk. Thapa became the Nepal’s third gold medallist in the history of weightlifting. On Thursday, Sanju Chaudhary became the first woman lifter to win gold medal when she finished first in the 59kg weight category, while Kamal Bahadur Adhikari had bagged Nepal’s first ever gold in the 2006 SA Games in Colombo. Adhikari, the flag bearer of Nepal in the opening ceremony, ended up with a bronze in the 67kg section today after he lifted 252kg. Pakistan’s Talha Talib won gold with 292kg, while Sri Lankan lifter JAC Lakmal came second with 263kg. Nepal bagged another bronze when Prakash KC finished third in the 73kg weight category. Lifters from India and Pakistan claimed top two positions respectively.  The home team had claimed one gold and two bronze medals on the first day.