Commonwealth Games: Meet gold medallist Achinta Sheuli, who was once forced to take up embroidery

Weightlifter Achinta Sheuli added to India's medal tally at the 2022 Commonwealth Games with a gold in the men's 73kg category on Day 3 of the event. This was also India's third gold in Birmingham and all of the medals so far have come in weightlifting.

Mirabai Chanu (women’s 49kg) and Jeremy Lalrinnunga (men’s 67kg) are other gold medallists so far for India.

Achinta, 20, lifted a total of 313kg (snatch: 143kg and clean and jerk: 170kg) at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) to clinch the top prize. He started with a 137kg lift in the snatch round before lifting a Games record of 14okg in the second attempt. With his lift of 143kg in the third attempt, Achinta matched his personal best.

Commonwealth Games: India schedule, Results, Medals tally

He began the clean and jerk round with a 5kg advantage and lifted 166kg in the first attempt. He went for a Games record of 170kg in the second attempt but faltered before achieving it in the third try.

"I was trying to break my personal best of 316kg but that didn't happen today. Irrespective, I am happy with the gold. This medal will help me take my career to the next level," Achinta said after his event.

It has been quite a journey for young Achinta who was once forced to take up embroidery to support his family financially after his father passed away in 2013. He was also supported by his mother Purnima and brother Alok to pursue his dreams.

It was his brother who introduced Achinta to weightlifting, however, Alok had to quit the sport himself due to the family's poor financial condition. He started working as an unskilled labourer while Achinta continued with embroidery and weightlifting.

Achinta, who hails from Deulpur in the Howrah district of West Bengal, started weightlifting in 2011 and got his big break in 2014 after finishing fourth in the youth category at national championships. Impressed by the youngster's performance, a coach asked him to join Army Sports Institute in Pune. In 2015, he was included in the national camp for the first time.

Over the years, he has won a number of medals at youth events and is now a CWG gold medallist.

Achinta Sheuli profile

Date of Birth: 24/11/2001

Hometown: Deulpur, Howrah, West Bengal

Coach: Vijay Sharma

Achievements:

Gold at 2021 Commonwealth Senior Championship
Silver at 2021 Junior World Championship
Gold at 2019 Commonwealth Senior & Junior Championship
Silver at 2018 Asian Youth Championship
Silver at 2015 Commonwealth Youth Championship

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