New CWG weightlifting record-holder Ravi Kumar was in tears the night before competition
New CWG weightlifting record-holder Ravi Kumar was in tears the night before competition
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Who says tough men don't cry? India's No 1 weightlifter and London 2012 Olympics medal hopeful, strongman Ravi Kumar Katulu revealed soon after clinching the gold in the 69 Kg event and setting a new Commonwealth Games record yesterday, that he was in tears the night before.
Not that Katulu feared competition. In fact, he steamrolled the opposition with his effortless lifts, even blowing kisses to the crowd and shockingly smiling with the heavy load above his head. Katulu totaled 321 Kg (146 Snatch + 175 Clean & Jerk) for the yellow metal.
Later, the lifter from Orissa said he wept while speaking to his mother the previous day, as the pressure of a gold medal was too much to bear. Kumar was the overwhelming favourite to clinch gold after his superlative performance in the trials at the same venue a couple of months ago.
"I went on announcing to the whole world after the trials that I will win gold for the country so when the moment arrived I was naturally very scared," Katulu said.
However, the 22-year-old explains that he was, by no means, being boastful with his claims throughout. "We were under tremendous pressure after some of our teammates were caught in the dope net recently. The Weightlifting Federation of India were fined $5,00,000 by the international body but had managed to collect only $1,25,000, thereby jeopardising our participation in the CWG. My announcement was to assure people that weightlifting is a clean sport and can bring laurels to India. Thanks to our Federation, who assured us to concentrate on the Games and not worry about the arrangement of finances for the fine," added Katulu.
So, any more promises from here on? "Definitely not," said the champion lifter, but not before mumbling: "I should be able to win a medal at the upcoming Asian Games in Guanzhou."
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