Weightlifter Sinphet claims bronze, handing Thailand second medal
Sinphet Kruaithong handed Thailand the second medal in the Rio Games when the powerful weightlifter picked up bronze in the men’s 56kg class, becoming the first Thai men’s weightlifter to win a medal in the Olympic Games.
Weightlifter Sopita Tanasan the previous day delighted Thai people from all walks of life when the 22-year-old from Chumphon captured the first gold medal in the women’s 48kg class at the 31st Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
On Monday morning, Sinphet from Surin lifted 289kg to win a bronze medal for Thailand. China’s Long Qingquan and PRK’s Om Yun Chon claimed gold and silver medals with the total lifts of new world record 307kg and 303kg respectively.
The 21-year-old Sinphet, who took three medals including one gold at the last year’s IWF Junior World Weightlifting Championships in Poland and three medals including one gold in this year’s Asian Weightlifting Championships in Uzbekistan, lifted 132kg in the snatch and 157kg in his second attempt in the clean and jerk for the combined lifts of 289kg in the Olympic Total.
Thailand have so far won four gold medals in the Olympic Games weightlifting competition, all of them from women’s weightlifters including Pawina Thongsuk in the 75kg class at the 2004 Athens Games. Sinphet’s bronze made hime the first-ever Thai men’s weightlifter to win an Olympic medal.
