Weightlifter K. Ravi Kumar was placed sixth in group ‘B’ after lifting a total of 303 kg in the men’s 69 kg section at the ExCel Arena on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old Ravi had a 136 kg in snatch and a 167 kg in clean and jerk. He failed twice in his attempt to lift 141 kg in snatch, and it was a similar story in clean and jerk when he could not clear 176 kg twice.
The effort was eight short of Ravi’s career-best of 311 in the Asian championship in Pyoengtaek, Korea, this year where he was placed sixth. In the Asian Games in Guangzhou too, Ravi was sixth with a lift of 311. He finished with the same total in the world championship last year in Paris where he took the 19th spot.
“I was unwell in the run-up to the competition. That did not allow me to perform to my potential. However, there are no excuses for the way I fared,” said Ravi. “My country will not be happy with my performance but it was a memorable experience to compete in the Olympics.”
Soniya Chanu, the other member of the weightlifting contingent, had finished seventh in the women’s 48 kg event earlier.
New Olympic record
Maiya Maneza secured Kazakhstan’s second gold medal of the Games after patiently biding her time before producing a massive clean and jerk to win the women’s 63 kg class.
Maneza, also the reigning Asian champion, recorded a combined total of 245 kg, a new Olympic record.
