Resolute Vikas Thakur lifts silver, boxers advance in CWG

GLASGOW: Weightlifter Vikas Thakur showed tremendous grit as he fought back pain to clinch a silver while three boxers inched closer to a medal by advancing to the quarterfinals of the 20th Commonwealth Games here.

Writhing in pain, Thakur produced the lift of his life to clinch the silver in men's 85kg weightlifting, as Indian lifters continued their spectacular show.

Thakur lifted 333kg (150+183) to bag the silver while Richard Patterson of New Zealand won the gold with a total lift of 335kg (151+184). Canada's Pascal Plamondon was third with 333kg (151+182), but Thakur bagged the silver on lesser bodyweight.

In the ring, Vijender Singh (75kg), Mandeep Jangra (69kg) and L Devendro Singh (49kg) entered the quarterfinals.

Vijender, a former Olympic and World Championships bronze-medallist, outpunched Namibia's Mujandjae Kasuto 3-0 in a lopsided contest to make the last-eight stage.

Mandeep, on the other hand, was equally dominant in his 3-0 triumph over Jamaica's Kestna Davis in a late night contest.

Asian Championships silver-medallist Devendro made the last eight after notching up a tough 2-1 victory over Sri Lanka's Madushan Gamage.

With the addition of four more medals, India's overall haul swelled to 26 with seven gold, 12 silver and seven bronze and the country was placed seventh in the standings.

Australia were at the top with followed by England and hosts Scotland.

In weightlifting, Thakur was trailing at third with a lift of 150kg after completion of snatch though the gap with the leaders -- Patterson and Plamondon -- was just one kilogram.