NEW DELHI: It was a tale of resilience, courage and heartbreak for Martina Devi Maibam, whose Commonwealth Games debut ended with an emotional fifth-place finish in the women’s +86kg weightlifting event on Thursday.The 20-year-old Manipuri lifter came within touching distance of a medal after recovering from the brink of elimination, eventually finishing with a total lift of 245kg (105kg snatch + 140kg clean and jerk).Martina matched the overall total of New Zealand’s Tui-Alofa Patolo, but missed out on fourth place because of having more failed attempts.England’s Emily Campbell, a two-time Olympic medallist, successfully defended her Commonwealth Games title in commanding fashion. Campbell lifted 278kg (115kg + 163kg) and set new Commonwealth and Games records in the clean and jerk. Malaysia’s Siti Aqilah Farhana Draman claimed silver with 253kg, while Canada’s Etta Mae Love secured bronze with 250kg.
A remarkable comeback under pressure
Martina’s campaign almost ended before it had truly begun. She failed her opening two snatch attempts at 103kg, leaving herself one lift away from elimination.In a bold tactical move, head coach Vijay Sharma opted to increase the weight to 105kg instead of repeating 103kg for the final attempt. The gamble proved inspired as Martina produced a flawless lift, keeping her medal hopes alive in dramatic fashion.The emotional release was evident as the youngster walked off the platform in tears after surviving the biggest scare of her competition.She carried that momentum into the clean and jerk, comfortably clearing 140kg on her opening attempt — a lift that exceeded her previous lifetime personal best of 136kg and briefly pushed her into medal contention.However, with the podium within sight, Martina needed bigger lifts to stay in the race. She failed at 144kg on her second attempt before making one final push at 146kg, but could not complete the lift.The miss brought an emotional end to her campaign as she left the platform in tears for the second time.Although she narrowly missed out on a medal, Martina’s spirited fightback after two early failures showcased her immense potential.
