Li Wenwen of China secured her second Olympic gold medal in the women's over 81kg weightlifting event at the Paris Games on Sunday, showcasing a commanding performance. The reigning champion in the heaviest women's category fell short of breaking her own world record of 335kg, but her combined lift of 309kg was sufficient to outpace her competitors at the Paris Expo. Her snatch lift of 136kg established a comfortable lead, and she clinched the gold with a successful clean and jerk attempt of 173kg. The 24-year-old athlete, who quieted the sizable Chinese audience before each lift, jubilantly lifted her small coach and paraded him around the platform. "He's like a father to me," Li shared with the press. "I'm elated now, yet I remain quite anxious. Last year, I sustained significant injuries, so I'm still very concerned about them," she added.
Li has been outstanding in the unlimited category, having previously won gold in the over 87kg class at Tokyo and being a former world champion in the same category. Park Hye-jeong from South Korea claimed silver with a total lift of 299kg, while Britain's Emily Campbell was visibly thrilled with her bronze medal, having lifted a total of 288kg. "I had a blast preparing today. I styled my hair, did my makeup, everything," Campbell remarked about her hair styled in British colors with Olympic rings at the back: "It took about three hours yesterday. We attached the rings today."
"I hope I made everyone proud, and I hope British weightlifting receives the recognition it deserves. They've supported me through thick and thin, and I'm so glad I could secure a medal," she added. The over 81kg women's class is one of the new Olympic categories introduced for Paris, following the International Weightlifting Federation's (IWF) restructuring of the program post-Tokyo Games.
