SHI Zhiyong becomes double Olympic gold medallist with world record lift
It was a world record lift of 364kg that gave People's Republic of China's SHI Zhiyong gold in the men's 73kg weightlifting event at Tokyo International Forum
Weightlifting
SHI Zhiyong of People's Republic of China's has broken his own world record to win gold in the men's 73kg weightlifting event at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
Shi achieved an Olympic record in the the snatch with a lift of 166kg before pulling out another Olympic record in the clean and jerk (198kg) for a total lift of 364kg - one kilo more than his previous world record.
“All I want for Olympics is just to break the record for myself because for a long time, I only gave a total of 363kg not 364kg. I want myself to break the record in the Olympics... Even though I didn’t make the 192kg [on my first attempt], I am still confident that I’m pretty sure I’m going to break my record so I did the 198,” he told media after his victory in Mandarin.
“I prepared five years for Olympics so I really want to perform at the best. So if I didn’t make to break my own record, just a gold medal, I would feel regret.”
With his gold from Rio 2016 in the 69kg event, the three-time world champion becomes just second weightlifter to win back-to-back Olympic titles in the men's lightweight category.
The silver medal went to Venezuela's Julio Ruben Mayora Pernia - it was his nations first medal of the Olympics Games - and bronze to Rahmat Erwin Abdullah of Indonesia.