China's Xiang Yanmei clinches gold medal in weightlifting
Xiang lifted a combined total of 261 kg. Zhazira Zhapparkul of Kazakhstan claimed silver with 259 kg
RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 10, 2016 (AFP) - China lifter Xiang Yanmei recovered from a nasty bang on the head to clinch gold in the women s 69kg at Rio Wednesday while Egypt won its first weightlifting medal since 1948.
Xiang was attempting to lift 118kg on her final go in the snatch when she dropped the barbell on the back of her head, jerking her neck forward and drawing gasps from the crowd.
She appeared unhurt however and brushed off the incident to register 145 in the clean and jerk for a combined total of 261 and first place.
Zhazira Zhapparkul of Kazakhstan claimed silver with 259 kg while Egyptian Sara Ahmed sensationally took bronze on 255 for Egypt s first-ever Olympic medal for a female weightlifter.
Egypt used to be a powerhouse in weightlifting with it s men winning a number of medals at the 1936 and 1948 Games but this was the Arab country s first lifting medal in almost 70 years.
