Tag: 2020 olympics
Lasha Talakhadze Sets Three World Records at 2020 Olympic Games
Powerlifter Lasha Talakhadze set three world records during the finals of the Men’s +109-kg category.
The Olympic Games is a time for athletes in many different sports from all around the world to show off what they can do. On the biggest stage, Georgian weightlifter Lasha Talakhadze did just that. On Wednesday, Talakhadze set three world records during the finals of the +109-kg category.
Talakhadze totaled 488kg (1,075.8lb) in two lifts. It began with a 223-kg (491.6lb) snatch followed by a 265-kg (584.2) clean & jerk. All three were good for new world records as the 27-year-old notched his second gold medal at the Olympic Games. He also finished at the top during the 2016 Games in Rio.
Lasha Talakhadze took to Instagram to celebrate his newest gold medal.
Ali Davoudi of Iran finished as the silver medalist while Syria’s Man Assad took home the bronze. At this point, Talakhadze seems to be in a league of his on. He dominated his way through his lifts by performing three consecutive in each round and did not miss any of his six attempts. Talakhadze set new Olympic records with each lifts and broke his own world records on the final attempt in each round.
Is Lasha Talakhadze the best powerlifter in the world? It is hard to argue against a reigning two-time Olympic champion but he has seen great success in other competitions. Talakhadze has finished at the top in every international event he has competed in since 2015. He has won five times at the European Championships and four times at the World Championships. Prior to 2015, Talakhadze picked up international victories at the European Junior Championships in 2011 and Junior World Championships in 2013.
Talakhadze had to serve a two-year ban for testing positive for stanozolol in 2013 but he has made up for it and them some. He has totaled nine records in the snatch, four in the clean & jerk, and eight overall.
This is not the end of the road for Lasha Talakhadze and why would it be? He has dominated for six years now since returning from his suspension. Talakhadze will more than likely enter the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris as the favorite looking to make some more noise and potentially set new records once again. Talakhadze has been at the top of the sport and it is looking like he is not going to fall anytime soon.
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Sarah Robles Wins Bronze At 2020 Olympic Games
American weightlifter Sarah Robles took home the bronze medal in Tokyo.
Sarah Robles went into Monday’s final in the Women’s +87-kg category at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo looking to return to the medal stand. After a strong performance, Robles earned bronze for the second-straight Olympics and became the first U.S. woman to win two Olympic weightlifting medals.
It was a competition full of storylines, headlined by Laurel Hubbard and her journey to become the first transgender athlete to compete in the Olympic Games. By the end of the day, Robles had stole the show.
Robles successfully completed five of her six lifts to total 282-kg (621.7lb). She went three-for-three on snatches, with her final attempt being 128-kg (282.1lb). Robles then completed a clean & jerk of 154-kg (339.5lb). She missed on her sixth and final attempt of the day. This allowed British weightlifter Emily Campbell to erase a deficit and earn silver. China’s Li Wenwen took home gold in the competition.
Sarah Robles has been one of the best powerlifters for the U.S. for nearly a decade. At 33 years old, Robles became the oldest American woman to medal at the Olympics and the second-oldest to compete. She finished sixth at the 2012 London Olympics and earned bronze during the 2016 Rio Games.
The success for Robles has not just taken place at the Olympics. Since 2009, she has represented America at the World Weightlifting Championships. This includes three gold medals in 2017 in the snatch, clean & jerk, and total. Robles has also seen great success at the Pan American Championships, where she has won overall four years in a row from 2017-2020.
Robles took to Instagram to celebrate her medal. Her performance came just one day after her birthday.
This victory solidified Sarah Robles as one of the all-time greats in American powerlifting. It is unknown if she will compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris but if this performance was any indication, it looks like there are plenty of good years of competing left in the tank for Robles.
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Laurel Hubbard Out Of Olympic Games But Continues to Make History
Laurel Hubbard put on a groundbreaking performance and made history at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. She became the first transgender athlete to complete at the Olympics but her journey came to an end on Monday.
Hubbard failed to complete a single lift in her three attempts during the 87-kg finals. The New Zealand weightlifter failed her first attempt of a 120-kg snatch when the bar went over her head and behind her neck. Hubbard then completed what she thought was a successful lift of 125 kg but the judges did not agree. They ruled it a no-lift and Hubbard was down to her final attempt. The bar went over her head once again on attempt three and Hubbard was eliminated.
Laurel Hubbard did not earn a medal at the Olympic Games but she was still a major topic of conversation. There was plenty of debates about whether or not she should be able to compete.
In the end, the International Olympic Committee believed that Hubbard met all requirements for trans athletes and fair competition. The debate continued throughout the games but Hubbard was able to compete in Tokyo without any further issues. Before making her exit, Hubbard made sure to gesture to the crowd and did so by patting her chest and making a heart with her hands to show appreciation.
“I would particularly like to thank the IOC, for I think really affirming its commitment to the principles of Olympism and establishing that sport is something for all people, that it is inclusive and is accessible,” Hubbard said the the media.
Laurel Hubbard began her gender transition at the age of 35. She did not compete as a weightlifter at the international level up until this point. At 43 years old, Hubbard was able to make it to the Olympic Games. Hubbard’s testosterone levels were still greater than the standard for biological women but the IOC gave her approval and she was able to make a statement with her performance.
“I see the Olympic Games as a global celebration of our hopes, ideals and values and I would like to thank the IOC for its commitment to making sport inclusive and accessible,” Hubbard said in a statement provided by the IOC on Friday.
Hubbard was the oldest competitor in the finals. Sarah Elizabeth Robles was the closest to Hubbard in age at 43. Before going through her transition, Hubbard took some time away from lifting. What she was able to do will spark plenty of conversation but Hubbard is hoping to be an inspiration to many and make a change moving forward.
Shi Zhiyong Sets New World Record With 364kg Total Lift At 2020 Olympics
Shi Zhiyong won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after setting a world record in the 73kg category.
The Olympics is a time for athletes to showcase their skills on the biggest stage while competing for their country. That is exactly what Chinese weightlifter Shi Zhiyong has been doing during these games. On Wednesday, Zhiyong won the gold medal in the Men’s 73kg category and set a new world record by lifting a total of 364kg (802.4lb).
Shi Zhiyong grabbed the fourth gold medal of China in weightlifting. You Zhihui (49kg), Li Fabin (61kg), and Chen Lijun (67kg) have all come out on top in their respective categories. Zhiyong joined them with yet another record performance. He previously held the Olympic record from his performance at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Zhiyong began his performance with a 166kg snatch. He currently holds the world record of 169kg but did not attempt to break it here. Zhiyong followed that up by going for the world record of 198kg in the clean and jerk. This is a record he already set at 192kg during the 2019 World Weightlifting Championships. Zhiyong successfully performed the lift and this also clinched the overall world record.
Venezuela’s Julio Reben Mayora Pernia took home the silver medal but finished an eye-popping 18kg behind Zhiyong. Indonesia’s Rahmat Abdullah too home the bronze medal as a competitor in the Group B session. USA’s CJ Cummings attempted a 198kg clean and jerk that would have landed him in third place but the lift was failed.
Shi Zhiyong continues to rack up the medals. Since 2012, Zhiyong has totaled 10 gold medals in International competition. He was won four golds at the Asian Championships and three at the World Championships. Zhiyong also won gold at the IWF World Cup in 2019 and Olympic Games in 2016 and 2020.
At 27 years old, Zhiyong has plenty left in the tank to keep competing internationally moving forward. The sport of weight lifting is in a good place when looking at the young talent and that includes Mayora and Cummings. All other competitors have been vying for the top spot that has been held by Zhiyong for years now. He has not been defeated in international competition since his debut back in 2012.
Shi Zhiyong is now a two-time defending champion at the Olympic Games. With the competition being held in Paris in 2024, Zhiyong will have a chance to defend his title once again.
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