Sangeeta lifts silver on international debut

Orissa’s Sangeeta Singh today made a memorable international debut by winning a silver medal in the Senior Asian Powerlifting Championship at Udaipur (Rajasthan). Rourkela-based Sangeeta lifted a total of 377.5kg to finish second in women’s 75kg weight class. Her performance included 160kg in squat, 82.5kg in benchpress and 135kg in deadlift. This was Orissa’s second success in the ongoing Asian meet. Earlier on May 2, Mandakini Mohanta won the gold in women’s 52kg class. Sangeeta, 20, has the credit of winning four gold and three silver medals so far in different zonal and national powerlifting championships. She had the opportunity to represent the country in the 2007 Junior Asian meet, but missed it due to visa problem. Orissa Powerlifting Association vice-president Hari Prasad Pattanayak and secretary Chitta Ranjan Swain described the two women’s success as the result of hard work and perseverance.