Weightlifting, fencing bring more glory for Bangladesh in 13th SA Games

Fatema Mujib. Photo: Prothom AloFatema Mujib. Photo: Prothom Alo

After a three-day drought, Bangladeshi athletes earned three more gold medals — two in weightlifting and one in fencing — on the 7th day of the 10-day seven-nation 13th Asian Games in Nepal on Saturday, reports UNB.
Famed lifters Mabia Akhter Simanta and Jiarul Islam bagged two gold medals in weightlifting events of the games in Nepalese tourist town of Pokhara while Fatema Mujib clinched the first-ever gold medal for Bangladesh in women’s fencing at Kirtipur Covered Hall in Nepalese capital of Kathmandu.

With this, Bangladesh have so far bagged seven gold medals in the games, equaling the record of earning more gold medals outside the country achieved in the Madras Games in 1995.

Earlier, Bangladesh bagged record 18 gold medals in 2010, 11 in 1993 and nine gold medals in 1985, all in Dhaka.

Mabia, who earlier clinched gold medal in the women’s – 63-kgs of SA Games 2016 in the Indian city of Guwahati, bagged the day’s first gold in women’s senior 76-kg event.

She lifted a total of 185 kgs — 80 kgs snatch and 105 kgs clean and jerk to bag the 5th gold for Bangladesh in the ongoing games.

BC Priyathi of Sri Lanka clinched event’s silver medal and Tara Devi of Nepal secured bronze medal.

After Mabia, another Bangladeshi lifter Jiarul Islam bagged the 2nd gold of the day for Bangladesh in 96-kg weight category, lifting total 262 kgs – 120 kgs in snatch and 142 kgs in clean and jerk – at the same venue.

Earlier, Bangladesh clinched three silver and three bronze medals in weightlifting of the ongoing regional meet.

Fatema Mujib secured the day’s 3rd gold clinching top slot in the women’s sabre individual of the 13th South Asian Games Fencing at Kirtipur Covered Hall.

It was Bangladesh’s first-ever international gold in fencing.

On Tuesday, Bangladesh’s athletes clinched three more gold medals in kumite events of karate of the 13th South Asian Games apart from Dipu Chakma’s gold in taekwondo.

Bangladesh finished 4thin the 12thSA Games 2016 at Guwahati and Shilling of India clinching a total of 75 medals, includingfour gold, 15 silver and 56 bronze.

Swimmer Mahfuza Khatun Shila had won two gold medals while shooter Shakil Ahmed and lifter Mabia Akhter Simanta one each.

Source: Prothom Alo.