Podobedova adds to Kazakhstan’s medal count

LONDON – Kazakhstan’s Svetlana Podobedova hoisted 161kg on her final attempt at the clean-and-jerk to clinch a gold medal in the women’s 75kg weightlifting final August 3.

Podobedova’s victory earned Kazakhstan its fourth gold medal of the XXX Olympiad, the country’s most gold medals in any Olympiad.

Podobedova started the finals by lifting 130kg in the snatch, good for second place heading into the clean-and-jerk behind Russia’s Natalya Zabolotnaya, who posted 131kg in the snatch.

The clean-and-jerk was a back-and-forth affair between the two competitors. Zabolotnaya hoisted 160kg in her third lift to take the lead, but Podobedova cleared 161kg to seal the gold medal. It was an Olympic record – the third set by a Kazakhstani weightlifter in London.

In other Olympics competition August 3, compatriot Olga Rypakova totalled 14.79m in qualifiers for the triple jump, and she’ll go to the finals.

Uzbekistan’s Jasurbek Latipov handily defeated Egypt’s Hesham Abdelaal 21-11 to advance to the quarterfinals in the flyweight men’s boxing tournament, while compatriot Sherzodjon Yusupov placed fourth in the men’s 85kg weightlifting finals.

In men’s hockey Pool A, Great Britain defeated Pakistan 4-1. Pakistan plays South Africa August 5.

Afghanistan’s Tahmina Kohistani, the only woman on her team, failed to advance past the preliminary round of the 100m dash, though she ran a personal best of 14.42 seconds. “I have a big message for the women of Afghanistan,” she told AFP. “We should have more than one girl in the next Olympics.”

August 4 competitions include men’s 94kg weightlifting finals; women’s 50m rifle 3-position qualifiers; the finish of the heptathlon; women’s trampoline in gymnastics; and second-round competitions in light flyweight, light welterweight and light heavyweight men’s boxing. Kazakhstan takes on Italy in a must-win game in Group A play of men’s water polo.