Paris Olympics: China’s Li Fabin calls weightlifting gold ‘a mission for my country’
- ‘Flamingo’ Li triumphs at second Games in a row and says he may reverse plan to quit after being ‘moved’ by support
Li Fabin reduced the men’s Olympic 61kg weightlifting competition to a one-man show to retain his crown at South Paris Arena 6 on Wednesday.
The hulking Li separated himself from his rivals with an Olympic record lift of 143kg in a punishing opening snatch round, which claimed four victims. The next best was Eko Irawan, who managed 135kg.
With the heavy lifting done, Li needed only to avoid a major hiccup in the clean and jerk section to add a second Olympic gold to the world championship and Asian Games titles already in his possession.
Nicknamed Flamingo because of a lifting style where he raises one leg off the ground, Li had a minor wobble on his first attempt to lift 167kg. The air inside a packed 7,800-capacity venue was filled with tension as Li quickly returned for his second go.
The 31-year-old emitted a scream from the back of the stage, before walking forwards, crouching and fixing his eyes into the distance. Li comfortably hoisted the bar onto his shoulders, before steadying himself for the exertion of raising it above his head.