News

Tuesday night DJURAEV Akbar became Uzbekistan’s second man ever to win Olympic Weightlifting gold after taking the top spot on the podium in the 109kg category at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. 

Putting up an Olympic Record clean & jerk of 237kg on his final attempt, his 430kg total gave him another Olympic Record and the title Olympic Champion.

“I didn’t think I could get these records and this medal, so I’m very confused right now. It’s not only my medal, it is Uzbekistan’s medal, and I’m giving it for the 30-year anniversary of Uzbekistan’s declaration of independence,” DJURAEV said.

DJURAEV follows fellow Uzbeki athlete NURUDINOV Ruslan as their nation’s only gold medalists in Olympic Weightlifting. NURUDINOV claimed gold in the men’s 105kg at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Despite taking a 2kg lead into the clean & jerks following his Olympic Record snatch of 195kg, MARTIROSYAN Simon of Armenia had to settle for the silver medal. He took two attempts at 238kg to try and win gold, but ultimately came up short.

PLESNIEKS Arturs of Latvia is his nation’s second athlete to ever medal in Weightlifting at an Olympic Games. His 410kg total earned him the bronze medal.

“This medal means 20 years of effort. I have many medals from juniors, from world competitions but this is my first medal from the Olympics, and I’m very happy to have it,” PLESNIEKS said.

Fellow countryman SCERBATIS Viktors claimed two medals in the men’s +105kg event, silver at the 2004 Games in Athens and bronze at the 2008 games in Beijing. 

Wednesday marks the final day of Weightlifting at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Lifting begins at 1:50PM with the men’s +109kg B session. In the final session of the Games, the men’s +109kg A group, TALAKHADZE Lasha of Georgia looks to improve on his World Records and win a gold medal in his second consecutive Olympic Games. The final session lifts off at 7:50PM Wednesday.