Weightlifting/76kg-Group C
India Leads the Way in First Session:
Competition for the 76kg gold medal began today with seven contenders participating in the opening round. Lifting 140.0kg in the snatch and 177.5kg in the clean and jerk categories, India's Satheesha RAI finished first with a total lift of 317.5 kg. Following a close second was Damian BROWN (AUS), who lifted a total of 315.0kg. Dreams of an Olympic medal were dashed for Uzbekistan's Bakhtiyar NURULLAEV after he failed to complete a snatch. Final results: Satheesha RAI, 317.5kg; Damian BROWN, 315.0kg; Ofisa OFISA, 287.5kg.
FILIMONOV Runs Away with Top Spot in Group B Competition:
Sergey FILIMONOV left other lifters in the dust as he easily captured first place in Group B competition. Completing a snatch of 160.0kg, FILIMONOV succesfully finished a 185.0kg clean and jerk for a total lift of 345.0kg. Germany's Andrey POITSCHKE finished second with a total lift of 335.0kg. Mehmet YILMAZ of Turkey was disqualified when he failed three attempts to complete a 185.0kg clean and jerk lift. Final results: Sergey FILIMONOV, 245.0kg; Andrey POITSCHKE, 335.0kg; Alvaro VELASCO, 325.0kg.
Cuba's LARA Takes Gold:
An open blister on Pablo LARA's hand had little effect on him Wednesday he used those hands to successfully lift a total of 367.5kg to take home the gold medal in the 76kg weightlifting competition. The Cuban snatched 162.5kg and completed a 205.0kg clean and jerk for a total lift of 367.5kg. LARA set world records in the clean and jerk lift (208.0kg) and total lift (372.5kg) in April 1996. He attempted a 210.0kg in his third clean and jerk attempt, but could not complete the lift. Final results: gold- Pablo LARA, 367.5kg; silver - Yoto YOTOV, 360.0kg; bronze - JON Chol, 357.7kg.
"First I'm going to call my wife and tell her the good news," said silver medalist Yoto YOTOV. "Then I'm going to dedicate this medal to my six-month-old son, Denis."
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