ISLAMABAD, Oct 15: Defending champions Wapda took a runaway lead at the start of the 51st National Weightlifting Championships at the Pakistan Sports Complex on Wednesday.

The Wapda lifters won gold medals in three of the four categories that were held, Ishtiaq Ghafoor taking the honours in the 56 kg competition with a total of 242.5 kgs to edge out team- mate Akbar Ali who took a silver with 235 kgs.

Other Wapda lifters striking gold were Muhammad Ali in the 62 kg category and Shahbaz Abdullah Butt who was on top in the 69 kg event.

Ali did not face any problems, winning easily with a total of 240 kgs as Javed Asghar of Railways (222.5) and Punjab’s Amir Ali claimed second and third positions. Shahbaz on the other hand proved just too good for his opponents, totalling 260 kgs leaving Kashif Barkat (232.5) of Police and Punjab’s Asim Arif (225) behind.

Awais Akbar captured the only gold of the day for Railways, landing the 77 kgs title with 312.5 kgs as Wapda’s Irfan Islam took the runners-up spot while Tariq Azam of Police was third.

Wapda accumulated 44 points followed by Punjab with 18 and Railways who had 17.

Results (read as snatch, clean & jerk, total) 56 kgs category: Ishtiaq Ghafoor (Wapda) 107.5-135-242.5, Akbar Ali (Wapda) 105-130-235, Abdullah Ghafoor (Punjab) 87.5-112.5-200

62 kgs: Muhammad Ali (Wapda) 105-135-240, Javed Asghar (Railways) 100-122.5-222.5, Amir Ali (Punjab) 102.5-115- 217.5

69 kgs: Shahbaz Abdullah Butt (Wapda) 120-140-260, Kashif Barkat (Police) 110-122.5-232.5, Asim Arif (Punjab) 97.5- 127.5-225.

77 kgs: Awais Akbar (Railways) 140-172.5-312, Irfan Aslam (Wapda) 140-165-305, Tariq Azam (Police) 120-150-270.