Topic: News: 2008 Olympics News

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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No Olympic medal, but a new U.S. record for Roach in Beijing

An Olympics medal proved elusive, but Melanie Roach broke her own 10-year-old American weightlifting record on Sunday at the Beijing Olympics.

The Auburn High school graduate finished sixth in the 53-kilogram weight division at the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics Gymnasium.

The 33-year-old Roach, now a Bonney Lake resident, hoisted a combined total of 193 kilograms (425.5 pounds). That eclipsed – by half a kilogram – her previous U.S. standard of 192.5 kg (424.4 pounds) set on April 24, 1998 in that same 53 kg weight division in a competition at Flagstaff, Ariz.

The former gymnastics star at Auburn 83 kilograms (183 pounds) on her third and final attempt in the snatch after earlier lifts of 79 kg (174.1 pounds) and 81 kg (178.5). In the clean-and-jerk, her third attempt also was her best, as Roach hoisted 110 kg (242.5 pounds). On her first two tries, she lifted 105 kg (231.485) and 108 kg (238.1).

In that Flagstaff meet a decade ago, Roach – then known by her maiden name of Melanie Kosoff – set the American clean-and-jerk record for the 53 kg weight division with a lift of 113 kg (249.1 pounds). That record still stands.

The gold medal was won on Sunday by Thailand’s Prapawadee Jaroenrattanatarakoon with an Olympic-record total of 221 kg (486.2 pounds). She lifted 95 kg (209.4) in the snach, then 126 kg (277.78) in the clean-and-jerk.

South Korea’s Jinhee Yoon took the silver at 213 total kg (469.584 pounds), and Natassia Novikava of Belarus got the bronze, also at 213 total kg. (Yoon earned the higher medal because of a lower body weight.)

A back injury forced Roach to miss the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. She retired after that to start a family, then decided to return to the sport.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Brave Breeze overcomes injury

BEIJING (AFP) — Lone British weightlifter Michaela Breeze gritted her way through the pain barrier Tuesday as she completed her Olympic campaign in Beijing despite an injury incurred during an early lift that appeared to have dashed her hopes.

The physical education teacher from Devon, south-west England, staged a dramatic recovery and elected to continue after it had been announced she was "injured", having missed her turn to complete her three snatch attempts after two successful heaves of 80kg and 85kg.

The 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medallist was down and out and face down on the floor while her coach massaged her back and rivals walked past for their turn ib the platform.

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Michaela Breeze

But on her return from treatment the pony-tailed 29-year-old converted 80kg and 90kg in the clean and jerk and, as the announcer urged the crowd to show its appreciation for her "plucky spirit", completed her final attempt for 100kg for a total 185kg.

She began crying as she triumphantly held the barbell above her head to roars from the crowd, and later collapsed onto the floor sobbing.

She later waved to the crowd as she exited the stage.

The favoured lifters in her weight class are to take their turn later Tuesday.

Breeze was the first woman to represent Britain in weightlifting at the Athens Olympics in 2004, when she lifted 120kg in the clean and jerk but only 92.5kg in the snatch, which left her back in ninth place overall in the women's 58kg division.

Injury meant she missed out on several ranking events in the lead-up to Beijing and had a nervous wait before being cleared to compete at these Games.

Unlike other sports, where national bodies decide selection, the International Weightlifting Federation selects the lifters that compete at an Olympics, with a top-10 ranking the normal entry requirement.

Having moved up to 63kg, Breeze had trained flat-out in recent months while waiting for the call-up, describing the experience as akin to being in "no man's land".

She later said she was "absolutely delighted to get a place, all the hard work has paid off and I'm really looking forward to getting out there".

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Pak Hyon-suk wins the women's 63kg weightlifting medal

DPR Korean lifter Pak Hyon Suk made a narrow win in the women's 63kg class here on Tuesday, clinching the Olympic title with her do-or-die last attempt on 135kg in the jerk.

Pak collected a total of 241kg, 102kg for the snatch and 135kg for the jerk. If she failed in her third attempt, she would not have the jerk result.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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North Korea wins 1st weightlifting gold

BEIJING (AP) — Pak Hyon Suk has won North Korea's first weightlifting gold medal with total lifts of 241 kilograms (531.3 pounds) in the women's 63 kg-division.

Pak risked being eliminated after failing two clean and jerks at 135 kg (297.6 pounds), but nailed her final attempt Tuesday to clinch the gold in the last lift of the competition.

Irina Nekrassova of Kazakhstan was second and Lu Ying-chi of Taiwan got the bronze.

World champion and world record-holder Liu Haixia of China was not competing because the Olympic host chose to prioritize other weight categories.

Russia's Svetlana Tsarukaeva was the favorite to win the event but crashed out with three failed attempts to lift 107 kg (235.9 pounds) in the snatch.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Russian favourite Svetlana Tsarukaeva crashed out of the women's 63-kilograms Olympic weightlifting competition on Tuesday, and was left crying and banging her head against the wall after failing to get a successful lift.

The 20-year-old world number two had nominated the highest initial weight in the snatch among the nine contestants but failed all three attempts.

She was Russia's hope for its first gold in Beijing and held her head in her hands after her third miss, cried, screamed in frustration and butted the wall with her head as she exited the stage.

In the absence of world champion Liu Haixia or any other competitor from the powerhouse Chinese team, the miss cleared the table for a possible gold medal fight between world number three Pak Hyon-Suk, and Irina Nekrassova of Kazakhstan.

The tall 20-year-old Kazakh held a narrow 1kg lead 107-106 over the North Korean going into the clean and jerk.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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North Korea wins 1st weightlifting gold

BEIJING (AP) - Pak Hyon Suk won North Korea's first weightlifting gold medal at the Beijing Olympics with total lifts of 241 kilograms (531.3 pounds) in the women's 63 kg division Tuesday.

Pak risked being eliminated after missing two clean and jerks at 135 kg (297.6 pounds), but nailed her final attempt to clinch the gold in the last lift of the competition.

Irina Nekrassova of Kazakhstan was second and Lu Ying-chi of Taiwan took the bronze.

World champion and world record-holder Liu Haixia of China was not competing because the Olympic host chose to prioritize other weight categories.

Svetlana Tsarukaeva of Russia was the favorite to win the event, but crashed out with three failed attempts to lift 107 kg (235.9 pounds) in the snatch.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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North Korean Pak Hyon Suk wins first weightlifting gold

PAK Hyon Suk has won North Korea's first weightlifting gold medal in the women's 63kg division at the Beijing Olympics.

Pak today risked elimination after missing two clean and jerks at 135kg, AP reported.

But Pak nailed her final attempt to clinch the gold in the last lift of the competition.

Her 106kg in the snatch gave her a total of 241kg.

Kazakhstan's Irina Nekrassova was second and Taiwan's Lu Ying-chi took the bronze medal.

World record-holder Liu Haixia of China was not competing because the Olympic host chose to prioritise other weight categories.

Russian Svetlana Tsarukaeva was favoured to win the event, but crashed out with three failed attempts to lift 107kg in the snatch.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Liao wins 5th weightlifting gold for China

BEIJING (AP) — China's weightlifting gold rush continued Tuesday with Liao Hui winning the men's 69-kilogram category.

Liao snatched 158 kg (348.3 pounds) and heaved 190 kg (418.9 pounds) in the clean and jerk for a total of 348 kg (767.2 pounds).

Frenchman Vencelas Dabaya-Tientcheu got the silver ahead of European champion Tigran Martirosyan of Armenia.

China has now won all five of the weight categories it has participated in so far.