Birmingham 2022: Parmjeet, Khatun raring to start CWG campaign

Birmingham 2022: Parmjeet, Khatun raring to start CWG campaign

Top powerlifters Parmjeet Kumar and Sakina Khatun will be aiming for glory when they start their campaign at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games on Thursday.

This Birmingham 2022 will be first CWG for Kumar, who rose to prominence after his World Championships bronze medal show at Tbilisi 2021 – this was India’s first ever medal at Worlds.

“I am so excited to compete at my first CWG. I will aim to do well and make my country proud,” said Parmjeet, who will compete in the men's lightweight up to 72kg event category.

Meanwhile, Khatun (-50kg) will be eager to improve the colour of the medal this time in the women’s lightweight up to 61 kg after her bronze medal show at the Glasgow 2014 Games. In Glasgow, she also became only Indian woman para-athlete to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games.

Apart from Khatun, two more powerlifters – Rajinder Rahelu (Glasgow 2014) and Sachin Chaudhary (Gold Coast 2018) - have brought home medals from the Commonwealth Games since the sport was introduced in the 2002 Manchester Games. In total, India has five medallists in para sport events at the CWG.

Khatun will also have the company of Manpreet Kaur (-41kg), who took a bronze at the Asia-Oceania Open Championships 2022 in South Korea, as did Parmjeet.

Among others, Asian Para Games medallist Sudhir (-88kg) will be in action in the men's heavyweight over 72kg category.

The one-day Powerlifting action will have 40 athletes from 16 nations vying for glory at NEC Arena.