Jeremy Lalrinnunga defied a pulled muscle, injured elbow, and a severe bout of cramps that forced him off the dais to win gold in the 67kg weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games on Sunday. Lalrinnunga (19) lifted a total of 300kgs - 140kg+ 160kg - to win his first big-ticket senior level gold medal, adding to his junior Youth Olympics gold of four years ago.
The NEC Hall 1 has given India both its gold medals of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, today's coming less than 15 hours after Mirabai Chanu defended her CWG title. Lalrinnunga's gold is also India's fifth medal of the Games - all in weightlifting - after silver medals from Bindyarani Devi and Sanket Sargar and Gururaj Pujary's bronze.
The transition from the juniors to the seniors has been anything but easy on Jeremy. A gifted lifter, he struggled to emulate his exploits at the higher level and was more often than not accompanied by a streak of injuries - the knee, upper back, spine - and he also had a tryst with COVID-19.
On Sunday though, Jeremy was determined to shed all the negative memories. Sporting a silver earring on his left ear, bleach-blond streaks on his mop of hair and cupping marks [a form of medical therapy that promotes recovery] all over his back.
First snatch attempt - 136kg, check. That was already six kgs more than his closest competitor, Nigeria's Umoafia Edidiong Joseph. The 19-year-old had uncharacteristically failed his first two lifts, but managed 130kg on his final attempt.
Second snatch attempt - 140kg, check. Commonwealth Games snatch record, check. Almost too easy. Jeremy commanded the stage, soaked in the crowd support and further extended his lead. He was 10kgs ahead and 1kg short of his snatch PB of 141kg, which he achieved during his Commonwealth Championships triumph in December last year.
Jeremy, though, went for the unthinkable - a 143kg lift on his final attempt. The confidence was visible. He bounced around with infectious energy but couldn't get past the 143kg hurdle. He still had that 10kg lead, though.
The second phase of the competition wouldn't be as easy for Jeremy. Now wearing a white t-shirt with yellow detailing under his sky blue singlet, his first lift of 154 kgs was smooth but he appeared to have tweaked something.
He fell to his haunches, clutched his lower back and was helped off the platform. He got a rub-down backstage and came back some two minutes later like nothing had ever happened. He pumped himself up, spurred on the crowd and went for 160kg. Success.
Yet, there was trouble. Jeremy got down on his knees once again and crawled away from the platform. It appeared he was suffering a bout of cramps and he got more work done on his right quadriceps.
Meanwhile, Samoa's Ioane Vaipava Nevo amped up the pressure as he cleared a 166kg lift for a new Games record. Jeremy, now ahead by 7kgs, went for 165kg in his final lift but his elbow buckled. He collapsed on the floor, writhing in pain, as the volunteers sprinted out with a screen to cover him. The Indian was reduced to tears backstage and was being fed a bottle of electrolytes when Nevo failed his final attempt - sealing Jeremy's gold medal.
The tears were soon wiped away, the overalls were put on and the dais climbed. The right elbow was raised in salute as the national anthem played. The tears were back, but this time they were of joy.