Muna Nayak gave host Odisha the first medal in the ongoing IWLF Youth, Junior and Senior National Weightlifting Championships, bagging silver medal in senior men 61kg inter-state competition at Biju Patnaik Indoor Stadium in KIIT University, Bhubaneswar today.

But in open category Muna finished fourth with total lift of 255kg, which include 110kg in snatch and 145kg in clean & jerk. Six other Odisha lifters were in action today, but none could win a medal.

Among the six, Sadananda Bariah finished seventh in youth men 61kg class, lifting 95kg in snatch and 125kg in clean & jerk for a total of 220kg. Deepak Pradhan ended a poor 14th in the same category with a total lift of 189kg, which include 86kg in snatch and 103kg in clean & jerk.

In junior men 61kg category, Rajendra Muduli secured fourth position with efforts of 103kg in snatch and 128kg in clean & jerk for a total of 231kg.

Two lifters from Odisha were in fray in youth men 55kg class, but only to return emply handed. Of the two, Manoj Madhi finished 10th with efforts of 82kg in snatch and 101kg in clean & jerk for a total of 183 kg, while Mukesh Wika ended 12th with 80kg in snatach and 101kg in clean & jerk of a total of 181 kg.

Kumbheswar Mallik, another promising lifter from Odisha, settled for the 4th position in junior men 55kg category with a a total lift of 213 kg. He lifted 98kg in snatch and 115kg in clean & jerk.
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PHOTO: Odisha lifter Muna Nayak with his inter-state silver medal at the National Weightlifting Championship in Bhubaneswar on 21 March 2022.