Impressive showcase of the sport in St. Petersburg
With a stage built following the design and shape of the famous Peter and Paul fortress and an impressive background illustrating the outstanding architectural monument, the 2012 President’s Cup impresses with its spectacle.
The competition started with the Men’s 94kg bodyweight category and an uncontested winner: the Russian Igor KLIMONOV. Silver Medallist at the 2012 IWF Junior World Championships in Antigua, Guatemala, he lifted a Total of 380kg, 30kg more than his compatriot – the Silver Medallist Rinat KIREEV. The battle for the second and third places was tighter. Antti-Roiko Miika (FIN) ended up third with 342kg and won the Bronze Medal.
Women’s 75kg also brought a Russian duo to the Podium. Olga ZUBOVA (RUS) Junior and Youth World Champion also Gold Medallist at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games ended the competition on the first place with a Total of 265kg. She couldn’t make it to the London 2012 Olympic Games, but here in St. Petersburg she lifted only 3kg less than her personal best. The Silver Medal went to Ekaterina KATINA (RUS) while the Chinese lifter Huixian LAN – participating in her first international competition – was awarded the Bronze.
In the Men’s 105kg, last year’s winner David BEDZHANIAN (RUS) got injured while performing his second attempt in the Snatch and retired from the competition with no Total Result. This gave a tremendous opportunity for the other athletes competing in the bodyweight category to take the floor. 2011 Summer Universiade Gold Medallist Gennadiy MURATOV (RUS) won the Gold Medal with a Total of 395kg. The Syrian lifter Ahed JUGHLI stood up on the second place of the podium lifting 35kg less than MURATOV. The third place went to Godfrey BALIGEYA from Uganda.
