29-year-old Gururaja has continued India's winning momentum in weightlifting, winning the country's second medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games - a bronze in the 61kg category.
A silver medallist from the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Gururaja ended with a cumulative weight of 269kg (118kg+151kg) to finish behind Malaysia's Aznil Bin Bidin Muhamad who lifted 285kg (127+158) and Morea Baru with his 273kg (121+152).
The Udupi, Karnataka native recorded a best lift of 118 kgs in his second effort of the Snatch category and finished fourth after the round. Malaysia's Aznil Bin Bidin Muhamad grabbed the lead with a lift of 127kg, a Games Record.
Gururaja started the Clean and Jerk round with the third-highest listed weight and pulled off the 144kg lift with ease to start his fight for the third spot against Youri Simard of Canada. Youri then went for 149kg in his third lift to inch ahead of the Indian but Gururaja accepted the challenge and went for a personal best of 151kg in his last lift, and pulled it off.
This is India's second medal in weightlifting at the 2022 Commonwealth Games with Sanket Mahadev Sargar winning the silver in the 55kg category earlier.
Bronze medalist India's Gururaja Poojary (R) with Gold medalist Malaysia's Aznil Bin Bidin Muhamad (C) and Silver medalist Papua New Guinea's Morea Baru at the Commonwealth Games 2022.
(Photo: PTI)
It was a story of sacrifices for Gururaja after switching the Olympic discipline, following his silver medal at Gold Coast which came in the 56kg category.
"I got married in May last year but could not be with my family as I joined the camp," said Gururaja.
Then after in Birmingham, he was down with fever and could not give his best at the training.
"I'm very happy with my performance. I could not train properly and had a fever, knee and wrist pain. Looking at the way, it was a very good effort."
He further credited the national coach to motivate and go past the Canadian rival in the clean and jerk.
"He egged me on and told me to 'give my best, otherwise all my sacrifices of leaving home and staying alone would go in vain'. It really motivated me and I went for the bronze," he said.
"I hope this is just the beginning for me and I will improve from here onwards looking at the Paris Olympics," he signed off.
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