PARIS: Weightlifter Rizki Juniansyah won the men’s 73 kg Olympic weightlifting title at the Paris Games on Thursday (Aug 8), securing the second gold medal for Indonesia.
The 21-year-old secured a total of 354 kg, setting the Olympic record in the clean and jerk as China’s reigning champion Shi Zhiyong failed to finish.
Rizki lifted 155 kg in the snatch to put himself in a good position and then strained every sinew in the second round of the clean and jerk with a 199 kg lift that secured gold.
The real battle was for second and third, with Thailand’s Weeraphon Wichuma taking silver from Bulgarian Bozhidar Andreev.
The 19-year-old Wichuma lifted 198 kg in the clean and jerk to finish with 346 kg, 2 kg ahead of Andreev, but a whopping 8 kg behind Rizki.
“I am happy, proud and very emotional winning with this, my first gold medal and creating history.
“Thank you to all the Indonesians for their support, to those who are watching at home,” Rizki told reporters.
“There are no words that can describe how I am feeling.
“You saw me crying because it’s been such an emotional and beautiful experience and I am already looking toward the future,” he added.
Chinese lifter Shi missed all three of his attempts in the clean and jerk and left the stage with no chance of a podium finish at a stunned Paris Expo arena.
Shi had taken the lead after the snatch round with a Herculean lift of 165 kg—10 kg more than his closest rivals.
He attempted to break his own Olympic record in the snatch, but failed to secure the bar and could not complete the lift.
Shi went into the clean and jerk with a healthy lead, but then it all came crashing down for the twice Olympic gold medalist, who won the 69 kg gold at Rio 2016.
He failed to complete any of his clean and jerk attempts at 191 kg, sending him home with did not finish (DNF) by his name.
Earlier that day, speed climber Veddriq Leonardo clinched Indonesia’s first gold medal in the Paris Olympics in the men’s speed climbing.
Aside from the two golds snatched on Thursday, Indonesia has also won a bronze with shuttler Gregoria Mariska Tunjung in the women’s badminton singles.
Weightlifter Nurul Akmal is scheduled to compete in the women’s 81 kg weightlifting competition on Sunday, the last day of the summer Olympics. – The Jakarta Post/ANN
