August 1, 2002	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 21,1423

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MANCHESTER, July 31: Muhammad Irfan became the first Pakistan to win a weightlifting medal for 30 years at the Commonwealth Games Wednesday as Cameroon grabbed three golds when Tientcheu Dabaya clinched victory in the men’s 69kg weightlifting competition.

Dabaya won the division golds in the snatch, the clean-and-jerk and the overall.

In the overall the 21-year-old beat off the challenge of Irfan who took silver while England’s Stewart Cruikshank won the bronze.

India’s Chitradurga Kumar took bronze for the snatch while Malaysia’s Hidayat Hamidon, the defending champion from Kuala Lumpur four years ago, won bronze for the clean and jerk.

In a thrilling contest, Irfan was on course for the gold when he set a new Games record of 310kg but Dabaya then equalled that mark and claimed the gold by virtue of being the lighter man.

“I am very happy with this win. I’ve done it for my family, friends and country,” said Dabaya.

Irfan said he was overjoyed as he put an end to years of failure by Pakistani weightlifters.

“I am the first man from Pakistan to win weightlifting medals for 30 years and this has made me very proud.”

Ninth-placed Welshman Ray Williams, 42, who was gold medallist in the 60kg division at the Edinburgh Games in 1986, confirmed he was to retire to concentrate on coaching team-mate Arfon Williams, who was 10th.

Later on Wednesday, the women lifters will take centre stage in the 53kg and 58kg contests after making their debut in the Games on Tuesday.

In the 58kg class, Maryse Turcotte of Canada will be looking for a medal winning performamnce to follow in the footsteps of her sister Karine who was second in the 48kg final.