London, July 31 (IANS/RIA Novosti) China’s Li Xueying won women’s weightlifting gold in the 58kg category Monday, setting two Olympic records.
Li, twice former world champion, set records in the snatch of 108 kg and the total of 246 kg, two kilos past compatriot Chen Yanqing’s mark posted four years ago in Beijing.
Silver went to Pimsiri Sirikaew of Thailand, who was 10 kilos behind, while Yuliya Kalina of Ukraine took the bronze with 235 kg.
With gold already secured, Li attempted but failed to break the world record in the clean and jerk of 144 kg, three more than Qui Hongmei’s total set in 2007.
It is China’s second weightlifting gold after Wang Mingjuan won the 53 kg category Saturday.
There was drama earlier in the competition when Colombian lifter Lina Marcela Rivas collapsed on her third attempt at 120 kg in the clean and jerk.
Rivas injured her knee in her first attempt, and couldn’t recover in time to complete a lift on the second.
Her two-minute time limit elapsed after taking too long to strap up her leg.
After collecting herself for the final attempt, Rivas buckled in the jerk phase, falling to the floor and breaking down into tears while clutching both knees.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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