Star lifter Mirabai Chanu was not there but Gyaneshwari Yadav gave the audience something to cheer for by clinching the women's 49kg gold at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships here on Wednesday.
The 20-year-old from Chhattisgarh recorded personal bests in the snatch as well as the clean and jerk section. Gyaneshwari lifted 176kg (78kg+98kg) to stand atop the podium.
She staved off a challenge from compatriot Jhilli Dalabehera, who had finished ahead of Gyaneshwari at the Asian Championships in October last year.
Jhilli, who had a best effort of 169kg (75kg+94kg), had won the silver medal in the last edition as well.
"I am delighted to not only represent India in a competition but also win gold for my country," Gyaneshwar told PTI.
"I wasn't feeling well before the competition. I was feeling nauseous and a bit low but my coach told me to manage six lifts and that is what I did," she added.
However, the gulf between Mirabai and the other Indian lifters in the 49kg was evident.
The Manipuri had won a silver at the Tokyo Olympics, with an effort off 202kg (87kg+115kg) in the 49kg weight class. Her personal best in the snatch and clean and jerk event sits at 88kg and 119kg respectively.
That is 10kg more in snatch and a massive 21kg greater than Gyaneshwari's clean and jerk effort on Wednesday. Mirabai is not competing at the Commonwealth event as she is training in the United States.
While Gyaneshwari has shown promise, Jhilli, who has been in the national camp for a few years now and earlier competed in the non-Olympic 45kg weight class, still remains at an inferior level in the 49kg category.
On Wednesday, the 24-year-old Odisha lifter was playing catch up with her younger compatriot, who executed all six of her lifts with minimal effort.
As expected, Indian lifters won the major share of the medals — 19 across the youth, junior and senior categories.
The men's 55kg event was a two-lifter affair with India's Mukund Aher emerging as the champion.
Aher, who was also competing in the junior category, heaved 239kg (106kg+133kg), while Md Ashikur Rahman Taj of Bangladesh won the silver medal with an effort of 207kg (92kg+115kg).
The women's 55kg event was the only senior event of the day where India didn't win a gold.
Solomon Islands' Jenly Tegu Wini was the best lifter in the event. She had the best effort of 189kg (83kg+106kg).
India's Shrabani Das 181kg (81kg+100kg) clinched the silver medal. Had she succeeded in her final clean and jerk attempt of 109kg, she would have won the gold.
Australia's 17-year-old lifter Chloe Perkins bagged the bronze medal. She heaved 152kg(66kg+86kg).
In the morning session, India's Komal Kohar started off the medal rush for the hosts as she took the top honours in the women's 45kg event, which is a non-Olympic weight class.
Despite only one legal snatch attempt and a failed clean and jerk lift, the 20-year-old lifted 154kg (68kg+86kg) to clinch the gold in a three-lifter field.
Sri Lanka's Srimali Samarakoon Divisekara Mudiyanselage (61kg+85kg) finished second, while Kim Laganao of Malta was third with a total effort of 134kg (58kg+76kg). The Maltese lifter medalled in the senior, junior as well as the youth category.
