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Aliashchuk Wins Overall Title, but Li Yinglong Steals Show at Weightlifting Worlds
Belarus Henadzi Aliashchuk lifted the gold medal of the men's 62kg category, but Chinese Li Yinglong stole the show on the platform at the world weightlifting championships Monday in Antalya.
Aliashchuk, bronze medalist at the Sydney Olympic Games, accumulated a total weight of 317.5 kilograms from two lifts for the overall crown, but Li Yinglong defeated the veteran lifter and Sydney Olympic gold medalist Nikolay Pechalov of Croatia to win the snatch.
After overcoming the weight of 132.5 kgs in the snatch, Li Yinglong asked 137.5 in his second try and succeeded.
Pechalov, who failed his first snatch of 137.5, had to try the weight in his second lift and lifted that barbell.
Li Yinglong appeared on the platform for the third time and overcame the weight of 142.5kgs.
Pechalov, who enjoyed bodyweight advantage, had no other way round but to try that weight. However, the Croatian, who lifted 150kgs in Sydney, failed at that lift..
Hercules Aliashchuk could have a better chance to win the snatch when he lifted 137.5kg in his first try, but he could not manage the weight of 142.5kgs and failed in the following two lifts.
To Li Yinglong, who did not qualify to compete at the 9th National Games, it is a no better result at the world championships. "I have never imagined to win a gold here," said the lifter, who snatched 2.5kgs more than his personal best this evening.
Chinese head coach Yang Hanxiong could not keep his joy, saying:"it is beyond my expectation."
After Pechalov withdrew from the competition due to leg injury, the clean and jerk lift was dominated by Aliashchuk, who set a new world record of 181kgs in his third lift.
After overwhelming the weight of 172.5kgs in his second jerk, the Belarussian had a backward somersault on the platform to celebrate his success.
"But I cannot do the somersault after the world record lift, as I have no power left," he said.
Aliashchuk denied the suggestion that he had any advantage from the withdraw of Pechalov. "I don't know he (Pechalov) was injured and withdrew from the competition. I only concentrated on the platform," he said.
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