Thailand’s and PRK’s outstanding victory
Thailand’s Rattanaphon PAKKARATHA won gold in the women’s 53kg weightlifting, lifting a total of 190kg, a healthy margin of 9kg over runner-up Chun Hui JONG (PRK) and a 15kg improvement over her personal best of 175kg.
“I am very excited and very glad to win a gold medal in the Youth Olympics but I could do even better. I did 111kg in the clean & jerk in the warm-up but I only lifted 109kg in the competition,” said PAKKARATHA after the medals ceremony.
In the absence of the world top ranking Chinese athlete in the 53kg category, JONG and PAKKARATHA ranked second and third respectively by the International Weightlifting Federation, were the main contenders for the gold medal. Both tied at 81kg after the snatch event.
JONG’s unsuccessful third attempt at 105kg in the clean and jerk deprived her of a victory chance. Meanwhile PAKKARATHA secured hers with a 101kg first lift, improving on her result in her second and third attempts.
Venezuelan Yorlis ZABALA and Tunisian Nouha LANDOULSI fought for the bronze medal. ZABALA leading LANDOULSI with 80kg after the snatch event, failed to lift 97kg in the clean & jerk, while LANDOULSI hoisted 96kg, securing her place on a podium.
In the Men’s 62kg PAK Jongju (PRK) 263kg stood up on the 1st place of the podium while the Thai lifter MEEBOON Sakda (THA) ranking only 4th after the Snatch, came to second place with 256kg.
With one successful attempt in the Clean and Jerk, the Italian ZANNI Mirko (ITA) missed Silver Medal by only 1kg and was awarded the Bronze for his Total of 255kg.
Today’s competition welcomed high ranking IOC officials, and weightlifting was honored to have the IOC President Thomas Bach accompanied by his wife at the Men’s 62kg event.