Junior Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship holder, Mr. Kojum Taba of Arunachal Pradesh, representing India in Commonwealth Junior Weightlifting Championship 2017 defended his Junior Commonwealth Championship title for the 2nd consecutive time by winning gold medal in junior men’s 94kg body weight category. He lifted 140kg in snatch and 177kg in clean & jerk for a total of 317kg to get the top position.
He has been defending the title of Commonwealth Championship in Junior section since 2015. With the latest achievement in 2017 in Australia, he has made a hat-trick titles in junior section of Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship. He won gold medals earlier in Junior Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship of 2015 and 2016 editions held in Maharastra in India and Malaysia respectively. Kojum Taba successfully defended the title last year in Malaysia where he also snatched a gold medal of senior category and became Senior Commonwealth Weightlifting Champion. However, he could not defend senior title this time due to injuries caused during competition.
Jimjang Deru on the other could not continue his competition in 62kg bodyweight category due to injury during snatch competition. He was able to lift only 114kg in snatch.
Kojum Taba has been a fine weightlifter for India in the recent times. The young lifter has made Arunachal and India proud many times both at national and international levels. Here are some of his remarkable records:
A. International Championships:
1. Junior Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship 2017, Gold cost, Melbourne, Australia – Gold
2. Junior Asian Weightlifting Championship 2016, Japan – Bronze
3. Senior Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship 2016, Malaysia – Gold
4. Junior Weightlifting Championship Commonwealth 2016, Malaysia – Gold ( Created New Commonwealth Championship Record)
5. Junior Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship 2015, Pune – Gold
6. Junior Asian Weightlifting Championship 2014, Thailand – Bronze
B. National Championships:
1. Junior National Weightlifting Championship 2016, Bihar – Gold (Awarded Best Weightlifter)
2. Senior National Weightlifting Championship 2016, Tamil Nadu – Gold
3. Senior National Weightlifting Championship 2015, Rajasthan – Silver
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C. North East Games:
1. Northeast Games 2016, Imphal, Manipur – Gold
2. Northeast Games 2015, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh – Gold
D. International (participation):
1- Junior World Weightlifting Championship 2014, Russia
2- Junior World Weightlifting Championship 2015, Poland
3- Senior World Weightlifting Championship 2015, USA (Olympic qualifying event).
— With inputs from Daniel Teli II