Tokyo 2020: Weightlifter El-Bakh wins Qatar's first Olympic gold

Weightlifter Fares El-Bakh shattered two Games records in Tokyo as he became Qatar's first Olympic champion in history.

Published on: Jul 31, 2021, 20:49:59 IST

AFP | Tokyo

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Weightlifter Fares El-Bakh shattered two Games records in Tokyo as he became Qatar's first Olympic champion in history on Saturday. The 2019 world silver medallist dominated the men's 96kg, setting new marks for the clean and jerk (225kg) and total lift (402kg).

Fares El-Bakh broke two Olympics records. (Getty Images)

"I'm very honoured to have won a gold medal during these Olympics," said El-Bakh, 23. "I hope that my performance was all right during these Games."

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Venezuela's Keydomar Sanchez took silver with Anton Pliesnoi finishing third. El-Bakh attempted but failed a world-record 232 on his final lift.

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El-Bakh won Qatar's sixth Olympic medal and second in weightlifting, after Saif Asaad's 105kg bronze at Sydney 2000.