Renu Bala Yumnam Chanu displayed tremendous maturity to lift 185 kg and claim India's second gold in weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne on Saturday.
Chanu's Manipur state mate N Kunjarani had won the first weightlifting gold for the country at Games in 48 kg category on Thursday.
Chanu was a clear seven kg ahead of her nearest rival, Canada's Beth Emily Quarton, who lifted 178 kg for the silver in the 58 kgs class.
Australia's Jane Natasha Barkar also lifted 178 but lost to Quarton on body weight and had to settle for the bronze.
The body weight difference between the Canadian and the Australian was just 30 grams.
Twenty-year-old Chanu survived a close challenge from Barkar in the initial stages and it goes to the credit of the unassuming Manipur girl that she was not hustled.
Chanu started snatch with a lift of 77 kg, then increased the weight by two kg for the second lift and had an easy third lift of 80 kg.
The way the diminutive Indian lifted the three attempts in snatch, established her as a medal winner.
Quarton started with two failed lifts. In her first attempt of 77 kg, she failed and the next time also she could not hold on to it. The 22-year-old Canadian, however, managed the 77 kg lift in her third attempt.
Barkar followed Chanu for the lift, picking up 77, then 79 and ended with 80 kg in snatch.
The Indian raised the weight in the clean-and-jerk to 96, which she lifted with ease. Her next lift was 100 kg which she then raised 105 kg.
Quarton cleared 98 kg in her first attempt but then failed in her next attempt of 101 kg; Barkar lifted 95 and 98 kg in her two attempts.
Thus Chanu virtually sealed the gold in her favour after the second attempt because the others were far behind her.
However, to put the issue beyond doubt, the Indian asked for 105 kg in her third attempt. When she lifted it without much ado, the packed hall erupted to a thunderous applause.
Quarton's last attempt was 101 kg while Barker failed with 100 kg.
''Renu gave a superb display of concentration," said coach Hansa Sharma. ''She never showed any sign of panic or awe in such an elite field.''
With this India has so far won four medals in weightlifting -- two gold and two silver.
More from rediff