The 30-year-old's victory on Monday, achieved with a new Commonwealth Games record total of 257kg,

Malaysia's Ibrahim buries drugs shame, regains title
04 October 2010 - 17H40


AFP - Malaysian veteran Amirul Hamizan Ibrahim regained his Commonwealth Games men's 56kg weightlifting title as hosts India were reduced to a supporting role for the second time on Monday.

Ibrahim, dubbed 'Pocket Hercules' by the Malaysian press, won the gold medal at the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002, but missed the 2006 edition in Melbourne while he served a two-year doping ban.

The 30-year-old's victory on Monday, achieved with a new Commonwealth Games record total of 257kg, meant India's Sukhen Dey had to settle for silver with compatriot Srinivasa Rao claiming bronze.

It was the second setback of the day for India who have traditionally excelled at this level after Nigerian schoolgirl Augustina Nwaokolo stunned Soniya Chanu to win the women's 48kg title while Sandhya Rani took bronze.

Ibrahim waited until the late stages of the snatch to make his first appearance and comfortably lifted 111kg to take the lead, just moments after compatriot Mohammad Shafiq Ismail had been successful with 109kg and Dey had hoisted 110kg.

Dey, the first Indian weightlifter to win a world junior championship medal when he claimed bronze in 2009, then hit back with a comfortable 112kg but Ibrahim replied with a Commonwealth record of 116kg to restore his advantage.

In the clean and jerk, 21-year-old Dey nipped ahead with a 140kg lift before Ibrahim went a kilo better, knowing that he had the advantage on bodyweight.

Dey was forced to attempt 146kg which proved beyond him, but he held onto silver when Rao also failed at 146kg.