Robles makes history by earning U.S. first world weightlifting title since 1994 (updated)
Xinhua,December 06, 2017 Adjust font size:
ANAHEIM, United States, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Host athlete Sarah Robles was simply unstoppable in the women's +90kg event of the World Weightlifting Championships as the Rio Olympic bronze medalist swept all three golds in the event on Tuesday.
In the last women's category of the worlds held in Anaheim, California, Robles lifted 126kg in the snatch and 158kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 284kg, claiming a sweep of all three golds up for grab.
Her win gave the U.S. its first world championship in weightlifting since Robin Byrd in 1994. Robles also made history in Rio last year when she broke a 16-year medal drought for U.S. weightlifters.
"I just went out there and made my lifts," Robles said. "I felt really strong and I was so happy to do this in front of my mom, my teammates and my country."
"The heavier the weights got, the easier the lifts looked," Robles' personal coach Tim Swords said of the lifter's performance. "She's fast enough, she's mobile enough and she's strong enough. Those things added up to a world championship tonight."
"Sarah has this unmistakable fierceness. Sarah has this look on her face that looks like she's going to tear the barbell in half," U.S. national coach Mike Gattone said. "She made the weights and she made America proud."
Finishing in the second place in total was New Zealand's Laurel Hubbard at 275kg, and Shaimaa Haridy of Egypt was in third with 268kg. Enditem