On Wednesday, Chinese weightlifter Shi Zhiyong smashed his own world record on route to winning the men’s 73 kilogramme event at the Olympics and bringing home gold for China for the second consecutive Olympic Games.
J.R. Mayora Pernia Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
The 27-year-old surpassed his previous record of 363 kg, set at the 2019 global championships, by lifting a total of 364 kg.
Julio Ruben Mayora Pernia of Venezuela took silver with a lift of 346 kilogrammes.
Unexpectedly, Rahmat Erwin Abdullah of Indonesia, who participated in a weight class with lighter competitors, won bronze by heaving 342 kg.
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Despite facing stiff opposition, Shi kept his strength up and ended up smashing the Olympic record in the snatch on his second and third attempts.
Shi told reporters, “My goal was to shatter the world record, not just to win the gold medal.”
If I hadn’t gone for the world record, I’d be kicking myself. I’m finally here to do what I’ve been meaning to do for the past five years. The odds of me not beating my previous best were little to none.
Shi, winner of the 69-kilogram gold medal at the 2016 Olympics, also set a new Olympic record in the clean and jerk on his very first try.
After failing on his second effort at a 192 kg clean and jerk, Shi appealed the judgement, but it was upheld. His third attempt at a lift saw him match his previous world record of 198 kg.
On his third Clean and jerk, Mayora Pernia attempted to lift 199 kg but Failed.
Abdullah of Indonesia claimed his father and coach advised him to participate at a lighter weight class so that he would feel “more comfortable and relaxed.”
He added that his dad had been injured and unable to participate in the Olympics in 2004, therefore he was overjoyed that the plan had succeeded.
I’m Giving this Medal to him because I won it today for the both of us.
On Wednesday at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, CJ Cummings was one of just three weightlifters to try a clean and jerk with at least 198 kilogrammes.
Cummings, at age 21, was the youngest of the eight lifters competing in the 73 kg. division at the Tokyo International Forum, thus he decided to “go big or go home.”
He Failed to make the Target.
The bronze medal was on the line in the last clean and jerk, Cummings claimed, so he would do whatever it took to get there. I gave it my all since it was that or nothing, yet I failed.
Zhiyong Shi of China, the defending Olympic champion and current world record holder, won the gold medal with a weight of 364 kilogrammes. The silver medal went to Venezuela’s Julio Ruben Mayora Pernia, whose 199-pound attempt failed (346 kg. total).
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Conclusion
Cummings, the youngest weightlifter on Team USA since the year 2000, placed ninth overall with a total of 325 kg (145 snatch and 180 clean and jerk).
Across divisions, Indonesia’s Rahmat Erwin Abdullah won bronze as a competitor (342 kg. total).
