GLASGOW, July 25 (PTI): Sukhen Dey and K Sanjita Chanu stole the limelight by clinching a gold each in weightlifting, as India launched their campaign in the 20th Commonwealth Games with a flourish, winning seven medals in all on the opening day of the competitions here.
Judokas Navjot Chana and Shushila Likmabam had to be contend with a silver medal each after they failed to clear the final hurdle in the men�s 60kg and women�s 48kg events, respectively. There was a bronze for another judoka, Kalpana Thoudam.
In weightlifting, there was a silver medal for S Mirabai Chanu, while Ganaesh Mali bagged a bronze.
The paddlers, shuttlers and squash players had easy outings on the first day, with both badminton and table teams posting convincing wins.
It was a display of overwhelming domination in 48kg women�s weightlifting by the Indians as apart from Sanjita�s gold, S Mirabai Chanu bagged the silver medal to make it a one-two for last edition�s hosts.
In the men�s 56kg contest, the 25-year-old Dey lifted a total of 248kg (109+139) after trailing at the halfway snatch stage, but came back strongly in clean and jerk to win the gold and cap a remarkable day for the Indians at the Clyde Auditorium.
In women�s 48kg weightlifting, Sanjita won with a total lift of 173kg (77+96), while Mirabai grabbed the silver with a cumulative effort of 170 (75+95) in the absence of other strong competitors.
21-year-old Mali was leading after snatch but slipped behind in clean and jerk to settle for bronze with a total lift of 244kg (111+133). Malaysia�s Mohd Pisol Zulheimi was at fourth after snatch but recovered in fine fashion to bag the silver with a total lift of 245kg (108+137).
Meanwhile, Australia�s female swimmers set a new 4x100m freestyle relay world record of 3min 30:98sec as they retained their Commonwealth Games title in style.
Lifter Sanjita�s total of 173kg missed the Games record, held in the name of 2010 CWG gold winner Augustina Nkem Nwaokolo (175kg effort), by two kilograms. Sanjita�s 77kg effort in snatch, however, equalled Nwaokolo�s CWG record.
The contest was all but over at the halfway snatch stage with 20-year-old Sanjita and 19-year-old Mirabai lifting 77kg and 75kg.
In badminton, India spanked minnows Ghana and Uganda by identical 5-0 margins in Group B matches of the mixed team event.
In table tennis too, the Indian paddlers hardly broke a sweat on their way to crushing 3-0 wins over Vanuatu and Northern Ireland, respectively, in the men�s section. The women too were upto the task as they recorded a clinical 3-0 win over Barbados 3-0 before beating Nigeria 3-1.
In squash, India�s Anaka Alankamony, Harinder Pal Sandhu and Mahesh Mangaonkar won their respective opening singles convincingly.
There were disappointment in cycling (track) as Deborah and Mahitha Mohan finished way behind in 10th and 11th position respectively in women�s 500m time trial. K Vargheese was placed 13th. There was also no good news for India from rhythmic gymnastics.
The day truly belonged to the lifters and judokas who combined to give India an impressive tally of seven medals straightaway.
Sanjita and Saikhom Mirabai opened India�s campaign on a flying note by winning a gold and silver respectively in women�s 48kg before Dey and Ganesh Mali bagged the first and third position in men�s 56kg.
In hockey, far from impressive India had to toil hard to register a 3-1 win over a lowly Wales in their opening Pool A match in the men�s hockey competition of the 20th Commonwealth Games at the National Hockey Centre, here today.
Ranked ninth in the world, India had to dig deep to overcome a resolute Wales defence and pocket their first points in the Glasgow Games.
India scored two goals through penalty corner conversions by V R Raghunath (20th minute) and Rupinder Pal Singh (42nd) before comeback man Girvinder Singh Chandi scored from a field effort in the 47th minute.
Wales� lone goal was netted by Andrew Cornick in the 23rd minute from field play.
India started the match as overwhelming favourites against the 31st-ranked Wales, but the Sardar Singh-led side looked completely off colour in the opening half with their fowards failing to make any inroads.
The Welshmen, on the other hand, started cautiously and defended in numbers. After sitting back initially, Wales put the fragile Indian defence under constant threat with counter attacks in the final 15 minutes of the first half.
As expected, India enjoyed the opening share of exchanges and got their first scoring chance in the fifth minute but Rupinder�s high flick from a penalty corner hit the cross bar.
Minutes later Akashdeep Singh�s try from close range was kept away by Wales goalkeeper David Kettle.
After surviving a penalty corner scare, India finally surged ahead in the 20th minute when Raghunath scored from their second set piece with a powerful flick.
But three minutes later, Wales stunned the Indians to drew level through a beautiful field goal by Cornick. The Wales forward scored with a deft touch from a tight angle after receiving Dan Kyriakides� cross from the right flank.
