Chinese weightlifter Long Qingquan broke a 16-year-old world record and North Korean Om Yun-Chol’s heart on Sunday, taking a second career Olympic gold in the men’s 56kg-category in Rio.
Long lifted a combined total of 307kg to break a record dating back to the 2000 Sydney Games and end Om’s four-year dominance of the men’s lightest weight category. Long’s combined total weight was two kilograms better than Halil Mutlu of Turkey’s record set Down Under.
“It’s been my dream to break this record since 2008.”
The 25-year-old, who won gold in Beijing eight years ago, dramatically set a new Olympic record of 170 kg with his last attempt in the clean and jerk, pipping defending champion Om into second place.
The Chinese star earlier raised 137 kg above his head in the snatch as he Om and went toe-to-toe in a fierce battle that wowed the 6,000-capacity crowd at the Riocentro Pavilion 2. — Agencies
