AMALAHA (NGR) becomes youngest Commonwealth weightlifting winner as Cyprus celebrates first Gold
A masterful performance from 16 year old AMALAHA Chika (NGR) in the women’s 53kg gave Nigeria its first Gold Medal of Glasgow 2014 as she became the youngest women to win a weightlifting title at the Commonwealth Games.
Cyprus took its first Gold Medal in history as MINASIDIS Dimitris (CYP) defeated a strong field in the men’s 62kg at the Clyde Auditorium.
Women’s 53kg
AMALAHA equalled the Commonwealth Games Snatch Record of 82kg with ease in her very first lift before going to set a new Record of 85kg and a new Games Best Total of 196kg.
It denied Gold to TOUA Dika (PNG), who had been the first women to compete in weightlifting at the Olympics when she opened the competition at Sydney 2000.
The Melbourne Commonwealth Games Silver Medallist was forced to attempt 115kg to win in her final Clean and Jerk, but had to settle for Silver again. She did, however, set a new Commonwealth Games Record of 111kg in the Clean and Jerk.
Third place was awarded to the Indian lifter MATSA Santoshi.
Men’s 62kg
MINASIDIS confidently defeated a strong field of Oceania and Asia lifters to win Cyprus’s first weightlifting medal at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and his first senior Gold.
The 25 year old former European Championships silver Medallist posted the highest lift in the Snatch with 125kg and hoisted 151kg at the second attempt in the Clean and Jerk for a comfortable win.
Delhi 2010 Bronze Medallist PEIRIS Sudesh (SRI) took Silver ahead of IOANE Vaipava (SAM).
IOANE needed 158kg on his final attempt to overhaul PEIRIS on bodyweight but went for 160kg instead and failed to complete it.
EVANS Gareth (WAL) competed in Group B, but his Total of 268kg saw him finish fifth behind BARU Morea (PNG) and just 3 kilos off a podium finish.
