Weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga Image Credit: The Quint

Ace Mizoram weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga secured the second position in his group at the Asian Weightlifting Championships at Ningbo, China on Sunday.

According to reports, the 16-year-old star weightlifter delivered an amazing performance in group B of the 67 kg men’s event by lifting a total of 297 kg in snatch and clean and jerk respectively.

Lalrinnunga gave a record-breaking performance in snatch by pulling off clean lifts in two of his three attempts (130kg, 134kg).

Setting a new Youth World record in snatch, Lalrinnunga himself crossed his earlier record of 131 kg in the EGAT Cup in Thailand in February.

He lifted more than double his body weight (157kg, 163kg) in two successful attempts in the clean and jerk which led him to wipe out Kazakhstan weightlifter Saikhan Taisuyev’s youth world record of 161kg.

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The first position in his group was secured by Pakistan’s Talha Talib, who lifted 304kg (140kg+164kg).

Lalrinnunga delivered his best performance till date in this tournament. His last best performance was his 288kg youth world record effort in the EGAT cup, where he won the silver medal in February.

This tournament is a gold level Olympic qualifying event, the points from which will be counted when the final rankings for Tokyo 2020 cut are done.

Lalrinnunga represented India in the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires. He won the gold medal in the Boy’s 62 kg category weightlifting with a lift of 274 kg (124 kg +150 kg).

The Mizo weighlifter is the first one from the country to bag a gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games.