China’s dominant Li retains 61kg of gold

China’s Li Fabin competes in the men’s 61kg weightlifting event at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (AP photo)

PARIS: China’s Li Fabin retained his Olympic weightlifting title in the 61kg class with a dominant performance and a total of 310kg at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, just missing out on breaking his own world record.

The three-time world champion opened his career with an Olympic record of 143kg on his third attempt in the snatch and nearly secured gold when he lifted 167kg on his second attempt in the jerk and thrust.

On his third attempt he lifted 172kg on the bar, breaking the world record of 318kg he set at the 2019 World Championships in Pattaya, Thailand.

The 31-year-old was hit with the bar on his chest, but despite stretching every muscle, his right leg gave way as he tried to lift the bar above his head, forcing him to drop the leg to the mat.

“I’m very happy to participate in these Olympic Games. The atmosphere is really great and I really enjoyed the competition,” Li said.

“I’m getting older, so this might be the last time I compete, but I’m still looking forward to maybe the next time. I would like to have another gold medal for my country.

“I don’t have a concrete idea yet. I just want to enjoy the moment. I won the gold medal today,” the 31-year-old added.

The match kicked off with a half-hour delay at a packed Expo in Paris, where Chinese and American fans were equally boisterous.

Thailand’s Theerapong Silachai surprisingly won silver in a thrilling final after lifting a whopping 171kg in the clean & jerk, bringing her total to 303kg.

American Hampton Morris finished third for bronze with a total weight of 298 kg, after failing in his final attempt to lift 178 kg in the clean and jerk. With this attempt he would have broken the world record of 176 kg that he set in Phuket, Thailand in April.

“The clean and jerks I felt really great in the backroom. That first attempt on stage – I’m mad,” Morris said.

“The white paint on the platform is slippery, it’s not safe. The next two attempts I took the bar off and was able to do my second attempt (172 kg),” Morris said.