Dehradun, Jan 31 (PTI) Tamil Nadu’s N Ajith sealed his place in National Games history with a third consecutive gold medal in the men’s 73kg category here on Friday.
After dominating the National Games in Gujarat and Goa, Ajith added Uttarakhand to his list of victories.
Ajith’s journey to the top is a tale of perseverance, grit, and defying the odds. Hailing from the small village of Sathuvachari in Vellore District, Tamil Nadu, Ajith’s rise has been anything but smooth.
Growing up in a financially strained family, with his father working as a fruit seller in Bangalore, Ajith’s dreams of weightlifting seemed distant. It was his maternal uncle, Baskaran, a Railways weightlifter, who encouraged him to return to Sathuvachari and rediscover his passion.
The decision proved to be transformative. Ajith joined the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Centre in Mayiladuthurai, where his talent blossomed. His dedication and discipline propelled him to the top ranks of Indian weightlifting.
At the 38th National Games, Ajith’s journey to gold was nothing short of spectacular. Despite failing in his first attempt at 136 kg in the snatch, Ajith bounced back with remarkable resilience, lifting the same weight in his second attempt and then adding 140 kg in his final attempt.
He began the clean and jerk section with a 166 kg lift, then stunned the crowd with a 171 kg lift in his second attempt.
With a total of 311 kg, the gold medal was all but secured, and Ajith chose not to take a third attempt, having already sealed his victory.
“For a weightlifter, staying injury-free is key. By the grace of God, I’ve been able to do that. Completing a hattrick of gold medals at the National Games is a huge achievement,” Ajith said.
While Ajith’s gold was never in doubt, his competition was fierce. Haryana’s Deepak Lather took an early lead in the snatch, lifting 141 kg in his third attempt, just 1 kg ahead of Ajith.
However, Lather faltered in the clean and jerk. Despite a shaky start at 156 kg, he successfully lifted 160 kg on his third attempt, finishing with a total of 301 kg, securing silver. The bronze medal was claimed by Lalhunthara of the Services Sports Control Board, who fought valiantly through the clean and jerk, finally lifting 167 kg on his third attempt to bring his total to 293 kg. PTI APA ATK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.