London, Aug 2 (IANS/RIA Novosti) China’s Lu Xiaojun broke two of his own world records as he took the Olympic gold in the men’s 77 kg weightlifting category here.
Lu Xiaojun headed the field with a world record total of 379 kg, one more than his previous world best, and Wednesday set a separate world record of 175 kg in the snatch part of the event, beating his own record of 174 kg.
He achieved the overall record with a clean and jerk lift of 204 kg, which he managed on his last lift despite sinking into a squat with the massive weight above his head before completing the lift.
“I feel absolutely amazing,” Lu said.
Asked about breaking records, he said it was “not bad.”
“Most of the records were my own to begin with. But I’m very happy.”
His compatriot Lu Haoije managed a total of 360 kg to give China a one-two finish, despite injuring his left arm during the competition.
“During the second snatch my elbows were stretched. The right not so bad, but the left very bad,” he said.
Asked how he was still able to compete, Lu Haoije said: “It is the Olympics. How could I just give up? I just decided to try everything.”
Bronze went to Cuba’s Ivan Cambar Rodriguez, who managed a total of 349 kg before watching his two main rivals for third place failing to make their lifts.
Thailand’s Chatuphum Chinnawong twice managed to lift the 195 kg weight he needed for bronze above his head in the clean and jerk, but failed to manage a legal lift, while Egyptian lifter Ibrahim Ramadan Ibrahim’s failure at 197 kg was enough to guarantee Cambar Rodriguez a bronze.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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