Ludhiana: After Indian weightlifter Vikas Thakur secured the silver medal in the men's 96 kg division on Tuesday, celebrations have begun in his hometown of Ludhiana, Punjab. The medal marked a consecutive third podium finish for Thakur in the Commonwealth Games, who had scored silver and bronze respectively in Glasgow (2014) and Gold Coast (2018) editions of the tournament.
The wave of congratulatory messages was kicked off by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. "Ludhiana's Vikas Thakur won a silver medal in weightlifting during the ongoing Commonwealth Games at Birmingham. According to the sports policy of the Punjab government, Vikas will be awarded ₹ 50 lakhs as a prize... My government is fully committed to encourage and provide all possible help to the sportspersons of Punjab..." his tweet read.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, wished the very best to Thakur. "More glory at the CWG, this time due to Vikas Thakur, who wins a Silver in Weightlifting. Delighted by his success. His dedication to sports is commendable. Wishing him the very best for upcoming endeavours" Modi said in his tweet.
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Meanwhile, the weightlifter's father, Braj Raj Thakur, said there was excitement in the household during the tournament, but not concern. "When the round started and his competitors came up (on the stage) to lift, I used to welcome them. Someone asked me why I did this and I reminded them that the others had also taken time to prepare for the event. My chest has swelled with pride seeing congratulations coming from the Prime Minister, President and others," he said.
"I have spoken to him, and after he returns, we will be throwing a party," the proud father further noted. Having started off with a 187 kg lift, Thakur's second attempt saw him go for a 191-kg target and succeed, albeit after putting considerable effort into it. The third, 198 kg, however, did not fetch any results.
"We were extremely elated during the results. I remember both laughing and crying. I felt fear in the beginning, but when the medal was ensured, there was an overpowering sense of pride" Vikas' mother Asha Thakur stated, revealing also that the day coincided with her birthday. "He wished me in the morning, and we spoke a lot. When it was time for the competition, I wished him all the best. He said he would score a medal, and that is exactly what he did," she added.
