Weightlifting

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HÀ NỘI — Weightlifters have brought the first gold medals home for Việt Nam in 2020 after winning 10 titles at the Roma 2020 Weightlifitng World Cup in Italy.

Hoàng Thị Duyên completed a hat trick in the women’s 59kg category on Wednesday.

The Vietnamese star, the shortest one among nine athletes, showed that she was the top candidate for the title with the heaviest weight in the registration.

The Giáy ethinic minority girl did not face any difficulties in the snatch event. She lifted 92kg, 95kg and 97kg in three attempts taking her first gold way ahead of the two runners-up.

Maria Grazia Alemanno of the host nation came second with 89kg while Canadian Tali Darsigny was third lifting 88kg.

In the clean&jerk, national champion Duyên easily lifted 113kg in her first try. She failed in the second when she increased it to 116kg but her third attempt at 116kg was successful and it brought her a second gold.

Marianne Saarhelo of Finland took silver with 113kg and Chaima Rahmouni of Tunisia grabbed bronze on 111kg.

In total, Duyên, 23, took lead with 213kg. She was followed by Saarhelo and Darsigny, respectively.

The result was 3kg better than her recent best she made at last December’s Southeast Asian Games where she was crowned the champion in her regional Games’ debut.

The hat trick also strengthens her position in the world top eight of the 59kg category which would give her a slot at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

“In the past two months, I have competed in three tournaments – the SEA Games, the National Championships and this World Cup. I have been so lucky to achieve good results,” said Duyên.

“It is the first time I have been far away from home during the Tết festival but it is worth it.

“The World Cup is only the starting event in my schedule in 2020. I will have the Asian Championship before my biggest target of my career, the Olympics, where I hope to do ‘something special’,” she said.

Before Duyên, her four teammates also grabbed medals at the competition which will wrap up today.

Thạch Kim Tuấn won his three golds in the men’s 61kg, Nguyễn Trần Anh Tuấn triumphed three times in the men’s 55kg, Khổng Mỹ Phượng won one gold and two silvers in the women’s 45kg and Vương Thị Huyền bagged two bronzes in the women’s 49kg categories.

Kim Tuấn is close to an Olympic place as he was in the top eight.

The team will have some days rest back in Việt Nam before their intensive training in preparation for the April’s Asian championship in Kazakhstan which will be the last 2020 Olympics’ qualifier. — VNS