Melbourne: India's Mohammed Zakir Asdullah virtually dropped the gold medal and had to be content with a silver when he let the bar slip in his final attempt in the men's 77 kg weightlifting event at the XVIII Commonwealth Games on Sunday.
Asdullah failed in his third lift of 176 kg in the clean and jerk, which left him with an overall lift of 301 kg (134kg+167kg), allowing Majeti Fetrie to run away with the maiden wightlifting gold for Ghana carrying a total of 309 kg at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.
Asdullah, the only Indian lifter seen in action during the day, thereby took the country's medal haul from the discipline to two gold, three silver and one bronze.
Asdullah opened with 130 kg in the snatch and managed 134 kg in his third attempt after being unable to carry the same weight in his second chance.
The Ghanaian was way ahead after gradually raising the bar to 138 kg through snatch. He successfully managed 168 kg and 171 kg in the clean and jerk but his third lift of 175 kg was declared 'no lift' by the judges who said he had timed out.
The Ghana team argued on the sidelines since Asdullah had the chance to win the gold if he could clear 176kg.
But things went awry for Asdullah as he could hoist 167 kg in his second chance and when he attempted 176 kg in a bid to stear clear of 31-year-old Ghanaian by one kg, he dropped the bar.
Pakistan's Irfan Muhammad got the bronze on 299 kg (137kg+162kg). He could have surpassed Asadullah if he'd succeeded in lifting 166 on his failed final try in clean and jerk.
Commonwealth Medal Tally
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