Pride of Manipur

Manipuri lifter Monika Devi selected for Beijing Olympics

New Delhi, July 15: Manipuri weightlifter L Monika Devi was today unanimously chosen ahead of Shailaja Pujari to represent the country in the Beijing Olympic Games after a selection trial in Bangalore, bringing to an end a selection controversy and allegations of bribery.

Monika, who won a silver and two bronze in the Asian Championship in Japan in April-May to help book the lone berth for India, will compete in the 69kg category while Shailaja (75kg) would be the reserve lifter.

"Monika was chosen for the Olympics by an unanimous decision of the Selection Committee. I am happy that everything went off smoothly during the trials," Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) President Harbhajan Singh said.

"Dev Dutt Sharma will accompany Monika as coach in Beijing," he added.

Monika and Shailaja were shortlisted for the final selection after an earlier trial in Pune on June 29 was followed by allegations of bribery on IWF General Secreatry B R Gulati to select Shailaja. Gulati had rubbished the allegations as "baseless".

Shailaja was also alleged to have used kneeguards, which were not permitted under IWF rules, in the Pune trial. This led to the Sports Ministry ordering probe into the bribery scandal and asking to cancel the trials besides directing to shift the trial venue from Pune to NIS, Patiala.

IWF stuck to its guns on the repeat selection trials though it shifted the venue of trial to SAI Centre, Bangalore.

Sharma's selection as coach was also against Ministry directive that a woman coach should accompany a woman lifter in Beijing.

Source: Press Trust of India

Other Stories:
Monika gets the nod
IWF selects Monika ahead of Shailaja

Laishram Monika Fetches Weightlifting Olympic Berth:
New Delhi, Apr 30: With one silver and two bronze to their kitty in the ongoing Asian weightlifting championship in Kanazawa in Japan, Indian women have booked one berth for Beijing Olympics.
Laishram Monika Devi has fetched three medals for India in the women’s 69kg event in the final Olympic qualifying event which concludes on Thursday.
The team’s assistant manager Parminder Singh said that India had secured one Olympic berth in the women’s section.
“By virtue of one silver and two bronze medals, our women have booked one quota place for Olympics,” he said.
On Wednesday, Shailaja Pujari finished fifth overall in the women’s 75kg category with a total lift of 218kg (95 in snatch and 123 in clean and jerk), while compatriot Kavita Devi withdrew from the competition in the same category.
In the women’s above-75 kg category, Geeta Rani finished overall sixth with a lift of 224kg (99+125), while compatriot K. Tulsi ended at the bottom of the list in the 11-lifter field with a total lift of 177 (80+97).
Source: Press Trust of India

Asian Weightlifting

Monika wins silver, two bronze:

New Delhi, Apr 29: Laishram Monika Devi fetched the first medals for India in the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Kanazawa, Japan on Tuesday by finishing overall third in women's 69 kg category.
Monika lifted a total weight of 222 kg (100 in snatch and 122 in clean and jerk) to finish behind Liu Chunhong of China (262: 117+145) and Kao Ya-chun of Chinese Taipei (222: 98+124) respectively.
The Manipuri girl added a silver and bronze as she was second in snatch and third in clean and jerk.
Compatriot Srishti Singh finished last in the 10-lifter field with a total of 168 kg (78+90).
In the men's 56 kg category, Valluri Srinavasa Rao came a cropper lifting a total of 237 kg (102+135) to end a disappointing eighth in a 13-lifter field.
In the men's 69 kg class, Govindan Elumalai and Katulu Ravi Kumar stood overall 10th and 11th with total lifts of 288 (130+158) and 285 (128+157) respectively.
On Monday, Kailas Pujari ended a disappointing 15th in the men's 62 kg category with a total lift of 253 kg (110+143).
Kavita Devi and Shailaja Pujari will compete in the women's 75 kg category while Geeta Rani and K Tulsi will feature in the women's +75 kg class on Wednesday.
The tournament is the final qualifying event for the Beijing Olympics.
Source: Press Trust of India