Almost 200 weightlifters will compete across 20 different weight categories, including star lifters from Papua New Guinea, Solomon islands, Australia, and Fiji.
India s Chanu reigns supreme in women s weightlifting 49kg class insidethegames.biz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from insidethegames.biz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Former World Champion and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Mirabai Chanu Saikhom demolished the field with an assured and effortless performance to top the field in women s 49 kg weightlifting, winning India s first gold medal in the 2022 .
1st woman in Olympic weightlifting competes at Tokyo Games Share Updated: 5:30 AM EDT Jul 24, 2021 JAMES ELLINGWORTH, Associated Press Share Updated: 5:30 AM EDT Jul 24, 2021
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The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Share Updated: 5:30 AM EDT Jul 24, 2021 JAMES ELLINGWORTH, Associated Press After 21 years of raising the bar, the first woman ever to compete in weightlifting at the Olympics is still going.Loa Dika Toua of Papua New Guinea was the first athlete to step on stage when women s weightlifting made its debut at the 2000 Sydney Games. She was first up on Saturday morning in Tokyo for her fifth Olympics, setting a record for a woman in her sport. It s an amazing feeling. You know, when you think about the Olympic Games, your dream is to go to one and maybe the second one, Toua said. I ve never imagined in a million years I d make it to
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By Ece Toksabay and Junko Fujita
TOKYO (Reuters) â When womenâs weightlifting was introduced as an Olympic sport in 2000, Papua New Guineaâs then 16-year-old Loa Dika Toua became the first-ever female Olympian lifter. On Saturday in Tokyo, the now 37-year-old athlete did it for the fifth time.
Wearing her countryâs flag colours of red and black, Toua grabbed the bar with a scream, made two good lifts at snatch, and smiled in joy, making a heart gesture with her hands at the camera.
Amid coronavirus restrictions, her achievement in returning to the Games after previously lifting in Sydney, Athens, Beijing and London was witnessed live by just a handful of journalists, judges, coaches and other athletes â an achievement nearly thwarted after she contracted tuberculosis in 2013.