Paris. Indonesian prodigy Rizki Juniansyah won the men’s 73kg weightlifting gold at the Paris 2024 Games with an Olympic record, in a disappointing day for Venezuela’s Julio Mayora and Colombia’s Luis Javier Mosquera.
The 21-year-old Asian weightlifter climbed to the top of the podium on Thursday in his first Olympic participation by lifting 354 kg, with 155 kg in the snatch and a new Olympic record of 199 kg in the clean and jerk.
Although it was far from her own world record in the combined event (365kg), which she set at the last world championships in Phuket, Thailand, in April, Juniansyah confirmed the message that the powerful China has a new contender.
The second place was occupied by another promising youngster: 19-year-old Thai Weeraphon Wichuma, who lifted 346 kg (148 in the snatch and 198 in the clean and jerk, a new junior world record).
Bulgarian Bozhidar Andreev, 27, fifth in Tokyo 2020, took bronze with a record of 344 kg (154 in snatch, 190 in clean and jerk).
Juniansyah consolidated the end of the reign of 30-year-old Chinese Shi Zhiyong, two-time world champion in the category (2018, 2019) and winner in the Japanese capital.
Injured in his back at the end of 2021, an ailment that kept him out of competition for more than two years, Zhiyong did not finish, but at least maintained his Olympic record of 364 kilos in total.
– Latin sadness –
The Latin Americans had a sad night at the Arena Sud in Paris at the close of the second day of weightlifting.
Venezuela’s flag bearer and medal hopeful, Mayora, 27, could barely make a score (152 kg) in the first attempt at the snatch.
The rest were declared null and void for the silver medalist in Tokyo, who arrived in Paris after being proclaimed champion in all the regional events in which he competed (Pan American, South American, Central American and Caribbean, and Bolivarian).
His neighbor, Mosquera, had a better showing in his failed bid to become the Colombian with the most Olympic medals. He was fifth, with 340 kg (155 in the snatch, 185 in the clean and jerk).
At the age of 29, she sought to add another medal in her debut in the category, after winning bronze in the 69 kg in Rio 2016 and silver in the 67 kg in Tokyo 2020.
With Mayora and Mosquera’s stumbles, Venezuela and Colombia continue to have a dismal participation in Paris 2024.
The Venezuelans have not yet made it onto the podium, while the Colombians are content with the silver medal on the high bar won by 17-year-old gymnast Ángel Barajas, the first in the sport in its history.
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– 2024-08-09 12:25:08
