Proud Moment As 19-YO Mizoram Lifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga Clinches India's Second Gold Medal At CWG 2022

The 22nd Commonwealth Games begins with a spectacular opening ceremony in Birmingham. It was refreshing as the sporting program was the first multi-discipline event after the start of the pandemic to be held without major Covid restrictions. So far, India has clinched six medals at the games: three gold, two silver and one bronze.

Yesterday, 19-year-old Jeremy Lalrinnunga clinched the second gold for India with a total lift of 300Kg in Men's 67Kg Weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games.

His self-belief despite an injury during the event enabled him to create history.

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His podium finish filled Indians with pride. Lalrinnunga lifted a total of 160kg in the clean and jerk segment to finish with a grand total of 300kg, which is also a new CWG record. Here's everything you should know about Jeremy Lalrinnunga.

Meet the boy who made India proud

Lalrinnunga was born on 26 October 2002, in Aizwal to national-level boxer Lalneihtluanga and mother Lalmuanpuii. He grew up along with four siblings. Lalrinnunga always wanted to become an athlete like his father, a well-known face in the boxing circuit in Aizwal. His father, meanwhile, used to train him thinking he also wanted to be a boxer but he eventually chose weightlifting.

Humble beginnings

Lalrinnunga's father Lalneihtluanga made many national records but given their finances, he was forced to work in the local Power Construction Department (PWD) as a labourer on contract. It was a long journey for Lalrinnunga who made it this far and won India a second gold medal at CWG 2022.

Training young

While training with his father for boxing, Lalrinnunga saw boys lift weights at the gym. It was a life-changing moment for him. It wasn't long before he asked them to train him too, and the rest, as they say, is history.

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Lalrinnunga started his career in weightlifting at the SOS Academy in his village. There the coach used to ask him to bring bamboo and ask him to lift it slowly. These bamboo stalks were 5 metres long and 20 mm wide. There was no weight on them, but lifting a stalk was tough compared to lifting weight because balancing it could get tricky. He practised day and night and aced the art.

Soon after, he started lifting weights. Lalrinnunga joined the Army Sports Institute in 2012--raised in July 2001 as the premier sports training establishment of the Army under Mission Olympics to tap the talent pool of sportsmen serving--and later joined the national camp in 2016.

"I still box in the ring and love it, but looking at my fellow friends' passion I chose weightlifting," he told TOI.

Lalrinnunga's records

Lalrinnunga won the gold medal in the 62 kg weightlifting with a lift of 274kg (124kg in snatch, while 150kg in clean and jerk round) at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics and created history as he became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the Youth Olympics. He also won the silver medal in the Asian Weightlifting Championship. He qualified for the Commonwealth Games 2022 by winning the gold medal in the men's 67 kg weight category of the Commonwealth Championships held last year.

Joining the Indian Army

In May 2019, Jeremy joined the Army as a Naib Subedar in the 17th Battalion of the Brigade of Guards. Along with coaching in national camps, he has received training from three coaches at the Boys Sports Company and the ASI. In December 2021, he qualified for the Commonwealth Games.

Twitter/Jeremy Lalrinnunga

¡°Indian Army congratulates Naib Subedar Jeremy Lalrinnunga on winning Gold Medal in Weightlifting by lifting a total of 300 kilogram in Men¡¯s 67kg Finals at Commonwealth Games 2022,¡± tweeted the Indian Army after his victory.

Jeremy Lalrinnunga's tattoo and the story behind it

Jeremy Lalrinnunga, winner of a CWG gold. Jeremy Lalrinnunga, also with India's best CWG tattoo so far. pic.twitter.com/SykUDUTiEg

¡ª ESPN India (@ESPNIndia) July 31, 2022

Jeremy Lalrinnunga has a tattoo on his left hand depicting a person lifting weights with the date 11 November 2011 in Roman numerals. That was the day he started lifting weights. Below that is a man standing straight wearing boxing gloves in honour of his father Lalneihtluanga, a former boxer.

"This story behind this tattoo is that my father used to be a boxer and I am a weightlifter. This tattoo shows just that," said Jeremy, reported ANI.

Not satisfied with his performance

Despite clinching a gold medal in Men's 67 kg final in Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham on Sunday, Indian weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga is still not satisfied with the performance, "I am happy after winning the gold medal but not satisfied with my performance. I was expecting to perform better but winning gold for the country is a proud moment," Jeremy told ANI.

Fan following on social media

Since Jeremy Lalrinnunga won gold for India, his social media followers increased dramatically. He has over 93,000 followers on Instagram where he often posts his pictures and reels, over 23,000 followers on Twitter, and over 10,000 followers on Facebook.

Lalrinnunga thanks 'didi' Mirabai Chanu for the inspiration

After clinching the gold at CWG, Lalrinnunga thanked Mirabai Chanu, the 'Queen of Indian Weightlifting' who won the gold medal in women's 49kg at Birmingham 2022 on Saturday. "Mirabai didi has been a huge motivator for me. Even before the event she came up to me and encouraged me to do well. She was also right there in the front row amongst the audience with the Indian flag, cheering for me. That was a big deal for me," Jeremy revealed.

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"I have a lot to learn from Mirabai didi. Her work ethic is brilliant. I need to follow that to make it to the Olympics and hopefully win a medal like her," Lalrinnunga said.

"My Dada and Dadi used to always pray for me. My 'Dada' left me before I left for Youth Olympics and my 'Dadi' left me post that and I couldn't be home both times. I know that before every lift I follow everything that they told me to say and that's why I dedicated my medal to them," he said.

Lalrinnunga hasn't been home for two years

"I haven't been home for two years. I was either competing, training or recovering from injury. Now I think I can take a week's break and head home to celebrate my win with my parents. I am very happy for all the love that I have received from back home. There were so many who came to see me here in the stadium as well and I just want to say thank you to everyone," Jeremy said reported IANS.

Winning gold...

"After youth Olympics, I haven't achieved such a big thing like this. This is my first medal at the senior level competition and I have had to face a few injuries. People kept asking me, when are you going to bring medals after the youth Olympics? And I kept working hard to win a medal for my country. I couldn't give the performance as I expected but I've achieved what I wanted to," said the 19-year-old who is employed with the Indian Army as a subedar.

AP

"I am really happy to win the gold medal considering that I was barely able to walk since the morning, suffering from a lot of pain. This is my first gold medal in the Commonwealth Games and after the Youth Olympics, I did not get many chances to compete in such multi-sport events in between," he said.

"I am very proud. I have had an elbow injury for a while, but I prepared well and tried very hard today. I could not reach my best performance [because of his injury] but Jesus helped me get this gold medal."

"My coach really motivated me, especially when I got injured during the warm-up. I prayed and cried a lot but now I am feeling better and am very proud."

"I am pleased with that total (300kg). I prepared for this competition lifting as much as 315-320kg. In the end, that total was enough and I am very happy," said Lalrinnunga, who now sports blond tip hair style, after the event.

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