It was difficult for Sanket Mahadev Sargar to look beyond weightlifters in Sangli, whenever he held his grandfather's hand and walked with him to the Digvijay Vyayamshala. Watching his seniors lift, Sanket couldn't control the lure for that bar with weights at both ends. On Saturday, the 21-year-old did that on the biggest stage he has performed on so far in his blossoming career. If it wasn't for the 'cruel' nature of sports raising its head, Sanket would have won gold. But the 55kg competition ended with Sanket's arm in a brace and a silver medal around his neck.
Sanket led the charts during the entire event until his second Clean and Jerk (C&J) attempt, but stood second to Bin Mohamad Aniq in the end. The Malaysian's third and final C&J lift of 142kg snatched the gold away from Sanket, by just a kilo.
(PTI photo)
The Indian's combined weight stood at 248kg (113kg in Snatch and 135kg in C&J) compared to Aniq's 249kg (107kg and 142kg), which is also a new Games Record. Sri Lanka's Dilanka Yodage finished with a total lift of 225kg for the bronze.
(ANI photo)
It's worth mentioning that earlier this year, Sanket, the reigning 55kg national champion, smashed the Commonwealth and the national record to win gold at the Singapore Weightlifting International. He totalled 256kg there (113kg in Snatch and 143kg in C&J).
(Reuters photo)
So the 139kg he failed to lift in Saturday in C&J was not beyond him. But something changed. He got a good clean, but just dropped his chest going into the jerk mode and hurt his elbow.
Back home in Sangli, at the Digvijay Institute of Weightlifting, where Sanket learned the basics of the sport, celebrations must have been subdued after the Malaysian Aniq's final lift.
At that moment, Sanket was flat on the mat in the preparation area of the hall, writhing in pain and not aware that the gold medal that had his name written all over it, was not going to come home.
But let's go a day back, on the eve of Sanket's event in Birmingham.
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His father, who runs a 'paan' shop and "chai ka thela" (tea cart) was waiting for business.
Sanket's father Mahadev Ananda Sargar at his paan shop. (Credit: TOI Special Arrangement)
"Paristhiti" (condition) was a word he used often for the 10 minutes he talked to TimesoIndia.com.
A father of three, with Sanket elder to his brother and sister, running the family with meager earnings as a tea and paan shop vendor has been a hardship for Mahadev Ananda Sargar and his wife Rajashree.
But still, when Sanket showed interest in weightlifting as a 13-year-old back in 2014, the parents never stopped him from chaisng his dreams, even in trying circumstances.
"Uski diet ke liye bahut pareshan tha (was always worried about his diet)," said Sanket's father when asked how he managed his son's growing requirements while training for a power and endurance sport. "Paristhiti naazuk thi hamari (our financial condition was very brittle). Zyada paisa nahi milta chai ke dhande mei. Teen bache hai, mera doosra beta aur chhoti ladki bhi padaai kartein hai (I don't earn much from my tea business, have three kids, another son and a daughter are still studying)," Sanket's father Mahadev told TimesofIndia.com.
Sanket's mother assists his father in the tea shop.
Sanket's father and mother Mahadev Ananda Sargar and Rajashree at their tea cart. (Credit: TOI Special Arrangement)
Sanket has been steadily climbing up the weightlifting world. He soon turned into a weightlifting prodigy, especially when he entered the 55kg category. He stormed the 2020 Khelo India University Games as well as the Youth Games and hasn't looked back since.
The family had plans to watch Sanket's CWG competition at the Digvijay Institute of Weightlifting, an extension of the Digvijay Vyayamshala that Sanket used to visit with his grandfather.
"Taiyari vagarah kuchh nahi kiya, humein to yahan chai ke thele pe baithna hota hai (haven't made any preparations to watch his match, have to sit at my tea stall)," the father said on Friday, a day before the competition that happened today in Birmingham.
But the parents' pain until a day ago was much deeper and emotional than any 'gold medal miss' can ever match.
In fact, his father broke down during the conversation.
"Do saal se mile nahi (we haven't met him for two years)," he said, as his voice choked amid tears. "Do saal se bache ko nahi mile to zindagi mei kya hai (haven't met my child since two years, what else is there in life)."
Sanket trains at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala.
Mahadev Ananda Sargar at his shop with customers. (Credit: TOI Special Arrangement)
"Usske aage nahi rounga. Rone ka kya hai ke do saal se Punjab mei hai na. Khali mobile pe dekhte hai usko (won't cry in front of him, but I cry because he is away, can only see him on the phone), he further shared with TimesofIndia.com.
Sanket's younger brother assists his parents in operating Whatsapp for video chats or calls with Sanket.
Celebrations at Sangli District Weightlifting Association. (Credit: TOI Special Arrangement)
"Maine usko bola hamari paristhiti naazuk hai, tum achha karo, thoda koshish karo," said Sanket's father when asked to share what conversation he has had with his son.
"Woh bola, 'Mai achha karunga, naam kamaunga' (he promised he would do well, make a name for himself)".
And Sanket hasn't disappointed, because the news is not that he missed the gold. The news is that he won a silver medal -- India's first at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
