DISKAH GAIKWAD

Diksha Gaikwad powered India to a weightlifting gold in the women’s 48kg category with record attempts in snatch, clean & jerk at the Commonwealth Youth Games. Shiv Shankar Singh bagged a silver in the men’s 56 kg. He lifted 216 kg, behind champion Tulo Manueli of Fiji (219 kg).

For a sport tainted by the shadow of performance-enhancing substances, Diksha’s awareness of the problem and alertness in taking precautions when offered mineral water was encouraging. The 18-year-old girl recorded 64 kg in the snatch and 76 kg in clean & jerk for a total lift of 140 kg, a clear winner ahead of Jessica Ruel (138) and Utako Alikli (128).

She asked for water to quench her thirst when facing the media, but refused to take a bottle with cap broken. She asked for a new bottle instead. “It is better to drink from a new bottle to avoid problems because of the dope test,” said the Maharashtra girl, for whom coach Kiran Sinhasane’s eye for talent was the turning point at the age of seven.