Asian Weightlifting C'ships: Ajay Singh, Achinta Sheuli finish first and third in Group B

Ajay Singh lifted a total of 320kg in the men's 81kg group B category while Achinta Sheuli came third in the 77kg group B event with a total lift of 297kg.

Ajay Singh topped the men's 81kg group B event at the 2019 Asian Weighlifting Championships. (File Photo)

Indian weightlifters Ajay Singh and Achinta Sheuli finished first and third respectively in group B competitions at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Ningbo, China on Monday.

Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships bronze medallist Ajay lifted 320kg (142kg+178kg) in the men’s 81kg group B event to be placed at the top of the four-man field. His final standing will be determined on Tuesday after the end of group A proceedings.

National champion Achinta finished third with a total lift of 297kg -- 137kg in snatch and 160kg in clean and jerk -- in the 77kg group B event. The 18-year-old finished behind Indonesia’s Rahmat Erwin Abdullah (312kg, 141kg+171kg) and Vietnam’s Pham Tuan Anh (304kg, 133kg+171kg).

On Sunday, the country’s top weightlifter Mirabai Chanu produced her personal best but missed the podium by a whisker in the 49kg category. In the men’s 67 kg group B competitions, Youth Olympics gold medallist Jeremy Lalrinnunga set three world records.

READ | Jeremy Lalrinnunga lifts his way to new youth world record

Jhilli Dalabehera is the sole India medallist so far. The Odisha-born weightlifter lifted 162kg (71kg+91kg) to clinch the silver medal in the women’s 45kg event, which though is a non-Olympic category.