The 2020 Olympics Games has been an amazing show of human strength, endurance and skill. As expected, lots of records have been broken in the 14 weightlifting classes. Check out Olympics 2020 Weightlifting: 6 of the Best Lifts from this Year’s Games!
1. Emily Campbell
The excellent performance made by Team GB’s Emily Campbell earned her a silver medal in the women’s +87kg class. This makes her the first ever female British weightlifter to win an Olympic medal.
She lifted 122kg in the snatch and 161kg in the clean and jerk to score an impressive 283kg total. We hope to see her in the next Olympics in three years!
2. Hidilyn Diaz
Placing first in the women’s 55kg division has got to be one of the proudest moments of Hidilyn’s life. Her determination and hard work ethic have resulted in her becoming the Philippines’ first ever Olympic gold medalist.
She beat off tough competition from China’s Liao Quiyun, who was favourite to win the class.
3. Neisi Dajomes
Neisi’s 263kg total in the women’s 76kg category secured a gold medal for Ecuador. She is the country’s first woman to win an Olympic gold.
It wasn’t a straightforward win for Neisi though. Her clean and jerk of 145kg was initially declared unsuccessful by the judges, leaving Neisi distraught. Thankfully, the decision was reversed and Ecuador gained the coveted Olympic gold medal.
4. Li Fabin
China’s Li Fabin gained two Olympic records in the men’s 61kg category in Tokyo – one for his 172kg clean and jerk and another for his 313kg total. That’s an amazing accomplishment.
However, what was most fascinating about Fabin’s performance was when he stood on ONE LEG while holding 166kg overhead during his first clean and jerk attempt. Incredible!
5. Lu Xiaojun
Lu’s impressive 374kg total meant another gold medal for the Chinese Olympic team. At the age of 37 years old, this win makes Xiaojun the oldest weightlifter ever to have won an Olympic gold. He’s hinted that he may be back for the Paris Olympics 2024 too.
6. Lasha Talakhadze
Georgia’s Lasha Talakhadze is a legend in the weightlifting world and he is constantly getting stronger. He added another gold medal to his collection with his stunning victory in Tokyo.
He lifted a total of 488kg; a snatch of 223kg and 265kg in the clean and jerk. Many weightlifting fans think Lasha will be the first man to total 500kg or more in this demanding sport. This is something we would all love to see!
Fan of Olympic weightlifting? What are some of your favourite lifts? Which of the above lifting moments did you appreciate the most? Let us know in the comments below, and join in the conversation this summer on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram!
