Jolt for India as medal contender Satish Kumar Sivalingam falls sick

Written By Chander Shekhar Luthra | Updated:

Commonwealth Games gold medallist and strong medal contender in the ongoing Asian Games, Satish Kumar Sivalingam, will not be able to compete in the men's 77kg weightlifting category on Tuesday as he is down with viral fever.

In fact, it was on the day of the Opening Ceremony (September 19) when dna caught up with Sivalingam when he was fully fit and raring to go for a medal. But he woke up with fever on Monday morning.

"Losing Satish at this juncture is a big jolt. He was definitely our medal hope in Asiad," an Indian contingent official confirmed the news late on Monday.

The 22-year-old lifter from Vellore in Tamil Nadu lifted a total of 328kg in the Glasgow Commonwealth to set a new Games record. His loss would certainly cost India a medal in the Asiad. More interestingly, Sivalingam was the only Indian athlete in Glasgow who created Games record. In Sivalingam's absence, all eyes will now be on his senior teammate and 2010 CWG gold medallist K Ravi Kumar, who won a silver in Glasgow.