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Round-up: Weightlifting sees records tumble

Weightlifting drew to a close at London 2012 with a total of 44 Olympic and world records broken during an exhilarating competition. Men's Super Heavyweight Behdad Salimikordasiabi, from Iran, claimed the final gold of 15 medals awarded at ExCeL over 11 days. The positive reception given to Weightlifting by the crowd, as well as the smooth management and execution of the events, has left an impression on the sport's controlling body. The International Weightlifting Federation said in a statement: 'We are entirely happy and satisfied with these Olympic Games at all levels and in all respects. 'The organisation overall, in particular within ExCeL and Weightlifting, was really impeccable. The technical facilities, everything was to perfection.' Salimikordasiabi's triumph in the men's +105kg confirmed his status as 'the strongest lifter in the world' as he added the Olympic Games crown to his reigning world and Asian titles. In the heaviest women's category, the +75kg, China's Zhou Lulu took gold in a dramatic tussle with Russia's Tatiana Kashirina that saw almost all the relevant Olympic and world records smashed. DPR Korea's Om Yun Chol, competing in the men's 56kg, became the first person to claim gold from the B group and only the fifth man in history to lift triple his own body weight, while Ilya Ilyin (men's 94kg) was the only lifter at London 2012 able to retain his Olympic title. It proved to be one of four golds for Kazakhstan, who, along with DPR Korea (three) challenged China's dominance as the leading Weightlifting superpower. China's tally of five golds did not match the eight they managed at Beijing 2008, but their women shone across a range of weight categories, alongside some memorable victories for other nations. Poland's Adrian Edward Zielinski claimed the narrowest of victories at the Games after he emerged triumphant ahead of Russia's Apti Aukhadov in the men's 85kg by the virtue of just 130g in bodyweight after both tied on a total of 385kg. And it became evident afterwards by comparing the pair's food intake that gold and silver may have been separated by as little as a chocolate bar ahead of the pre-competition

SALIMIKORDASIABI Behdad (IRI)

Men’s +105kg “My first goal was to get the Gold Medal; the second was to break Records. In the future, I’ll take on the Records as

TOROKHTIY Oleksiy (UKR)

Men’s 105kg “As of the moment you start preparing yourself for the Olympics, you feel the pressure. It’s all gone when you go on stage and touch the

Behdad leads Iran one-two

Behdad Salimikordasiabi added the Olympic crown to his world and Asian titles as he triumphed in the men's +105kg and brought the curtain down on Weightlifting at London 2012. Salimikordasiabi, from Iran, was the favourite for victory and the super heavyweight rose to the occasion to confirm his title as the 'strongest lifter in the world'. The 22-year-old managed a total of 455kg, which was not enough to eclipse the mammoth 472kg world and Olympic record managed by legendary compatriot Hossein Rezazadeh in 2000, but it did clinch Iran's first Weightlifting gold since 2004. And the vast numbers of Iranian fans inside ExCeL were afforded further delight after Sajjad Anoushiravani (449kg) took silver, with Russia's Ruslan Albegov (448kg) going home with bronze. Beijing 2008 gold medallist Matthias Steiner was denied the chance to defend his crown after he was forced to withdraw following an injury. Making his second snatch attempt of 196kg, Steiner was unable to raise the weights fully and, falling back, could not help but drop the bar down on to his head and then shoulder. Steiner thankfully managed to walk off stage but forfeited his third attempt to receive treatment, and it was later announced that he would not be able to continue and headed to hospital for a routine

Torokhtiy late show earns gold

Oleksiy Torokhtiy claimed Olympic gold for Ukraine after an enthralling men's 105kg category which went right down to the wire at ExCeL. Navab Nasirshelal looked to have taken the gold medal from Poland's Bartlomiej Wojciech Bonk, only for Torokhtiy to clean and jerk 227kg with his final lift. It meant Nasirshelal, bidding to become the first Iranian to claim gold since the legendary Hossein Rezazadeh in 2004, had to make his final lift - and the last of the competition - of 229kg. But he failed to even raise it to his shoulders, meaning Torokhtiy (412kg total) took the honours by the narrowest of margins and pushed Nasirshelal (411kg) into silver and Bonk (410kg) to

ZHOU Lulu (CHN)

Women’s +75kg "Before I lift I shout Fung Song - Relax. I tell myself to relax so that I can lift the weights