On Thursday, Luo Shifang triumphed over Canada’s Maude Charron in the women’s 59-kilogram division, making it a perfect 3-for-3 for China in the opening weightlifting events at the Paris Olympics.
The 23-year-old Luo Shifang set three Olympic records, lifting 107 kilograms (236 pounds) in the snatch and 137 kilograms (302 pounds) in the clean and jerk, finishing with a total score of 241 to claim the gold. Charron, who won gold in the 64-kilogram category at the Tokyo Olympics, took silver with a score of 236. Taiwan’s Kuo Hsing-chun, the 2021 winner in the 59-kilogram category, earned the bronze with a score of 235.
Luo Shifang dominated in her Olympic debut after sweeping gold at last year’s world championship. On Wednesday, China’s Li Fabin won the men’s 61-kilogram category, and Hou Zhihui took gold in the women’s 49-kilogram division. As a weightlifting powerhouse, China could add two more titles in Paris, with Shi Zhiyong competing in the men’s 73-kilogram category later on Thursday and Li Wenwen in the women’s +81-kilogram division on Sunday. Both athletes won Olympic gold three years ago. Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: India Wins Bronze in Men’s Hockey
Luo, Charron, and Kuo competed in the same event after the number of Olympic weight classes was reduced from seven to five for both men’s and women’s competitions.
Earlier on Thursday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed an appeal by Spanish weightlifter David Sánchez López, who sought to have Turkey banned from the competition due to a recent doping violation by the Turkish Weightlifting Federation. The ruling would have affected the men’s 73-kilogram category, where Turkey’s Muhammed Furkan Özbek will compete as scheduled, rather than being replaced by López.
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