CWG 2022: The journey of winning medals with bamboo sticks, dedication such that I did not meet parents for years, such is the story of Jeremy Lalrinnunga

New Delhi/Arnab Lal C: As India’s young weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga won the gold medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022, his parents and brothers rejoiced in his home thousands of kilometers away. Jeremy lifted a total of 300kg to top the podium in the 67kg category in Birmingham. During this, he ensured the gold medal by lifting 140 kg in snatch and 160 kg in clean and jerk. Along with this, he also set a new game record. After this success of Jeremy, his house was flooded with congratulations. Relatives from across the city flocked to the government quarters house in Aizawl to congratulate Jeremy’s parents. During this, Jeremy’s mother Lalmumpui could not hold back tears of joy. It was only after the son won the gold medal that his father, Lalnihatlunga, could not put down the phone as it was ringing nonstop. Jeremy’s father works in Aizawl PWD.

Jeremy’s father was under a lot of stress before his competition. He did not expect that his son would win the gold medal. Jeremy’s father, who was a junior level boxer, said, ‘Jeremy did not get this gold easily. For this he trained hard. It has come at the cost of a lot of pain. Let us tell you that when 19-year-old Jeremy went for his last attempt of clean and jerk, he could not lift the weight of 165 kg. However, despite this, he got the gold due to the early lead.

Jeremy’s biggest achievement for father

Talking to our colleague The Times of India, Jeremy’s father said, ‘What his son has achieved is above the moon, but he has had to sacrifice a lot and now he has learned to live with it. He went to Patiala for training at the age of nine. Now he doesn’t even come on holidays because he has sacrificed everything for training. This year too, even after winning the gold medal in the Commonwealth Games, there is little hope that he will come home as he will then start preparing for the World Championships.

Beginner training with bamboo and iron pipe

On this achievement of Jeremy, apart from his parents, his childhood coach Malasawama Khiangte, popularly known as Soma, is also rejoicing when his disciple wins gold. Jeremy came to Malasawama Khiangte at the age of just 9. His childhood coach Soma said, “From the beginning, we only worked on his technique. Jeremy started out weightlifting with bamboo sticks and six feet of water connection pipe and within three months he was able to lift 20 kg in clean and jerk. After training till December in 2011, Jeremy was selected in 2012 at the Army Sports Institute in Pune along with two other weightlifters from Mizoram, Jakhuma and Jacob Vanlatluanga. He was very fortunate that he found a great foundation at such a young age. There she started training under the supervision of good coaches and in 2016, she won her first gold in the Sub-Junior National Youth Boys and Girls Weightlifting Championship.

Jeremy’s coach says that after this he never looked back. When asked how Jeremy is different from the rest, his childhood coach said, “He has amazing fitness and is very disciplined. Apart from this, the coordination of his back muscles is excellent. Also, he is excellent at doing hyper extension exercises. In a minute, he can do 40 times when we expect 30.’

In the Commonwealth Games 2022, Jeremy lifted 160 kg in clean and jerk. At the same time, Soma believes that Jeremy can lift up to 180 kg in the coming time. On the other hand, Soma hopes that this success of Jeremy will popularize the game among children in the state.