Lifter Rakhi creates two new national records

Doha: Indian weightlifter Rakhi Halder created two new national records on her way to a bronze medal in the women’s 64kg weight category at the Qatar International Cup here.

The Commonwealth Championship gold medallist obliterated the senior national record in both snatch and total lift with her personal best effort of 218kg (95kg in snatch + 123 kg in clean and jerk) here on Sunday night.

At the Commonwealth Championship in June, Halder had clinched the gold with a combined effort of 214kg (94kg+120kg).

India ended the Olympic qualifying silver level event with three medals. Former world champion Mirabai Chanu had won the gold on an opening day while teenager Jeremy Lalrinnunga had claimed silver in a power-packed performance.

The points from this tournament will come in handy when the final rankings for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics cut are done.

To qualify for Tokyo Games, a weightlifter must compete in at least one event in each of the three periods of six months (spread over November 2018 to April 2020), at least six events overall and in at least one gold and one silver-level event.