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Maharashtra walked home with the overall team championship title in both men’s and women’s sections of the National Benchpress Powerlifting Meet, which concluded at Milanee Hall in Bistupur on Tuesday.
Hosts Jharkhand (60 points) had to be satisfied with the runner-up position in the women’s category, finishing behind Maharashtra (72 points). Jammu and Kashmir won the third slot with 45 points.
The men’s outfit from Maharashtra had to face stiff competition from Bihar and Karnataka before emerging on the top with 120 points. Bihar (119 points) and Karnataka (118 points) gave the champions a run for their money.
Raminder Singh from Punjab was adjudged the best men lifter ahead of Anshuman Sharma (J&K) and S. Tandulu (Ordinance Factory Sports Promotion Board).
Laxmi Thanekar of Maharashtra won the honours in the eve’s section while Jharkhand’s Bela Ghosh and Karnataka’s Akshatta Poojarthi finished second and third, respectively.
Jharkhand took their medals tally to 24 — 15 gold, 6 silver and 3 bronze. The state bagged four gold medals on the concluding day thanks to Somya Kumar (63kg sub-junior), Bela Ghosh (70kg senior) and Sujata Bhakat (65kg senior and 65kg Master 1).
The National Anti-Doping Agency’s zonal unit in Calcutta has taken urine samples of several lifters to determine whether they have taken performance enhancing substance or not.
The four-day championship was organised by the Indian Powerlifting Federation.
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