Loredana-Elena TOMA (ROU) won her second world title when she took the 71kg at the IWF World Championships in Bogotá, and in the process she became the only non-Asian holder of a current world record in women’s weightlifting.
In a tense finish to the women’s 71kg, Toma had to wait for victory. She had built a big lead by making her first five attempts – including a snatch world record of 119kg – but she looked frustrated when she missed the last clean and jerk.
Two Chinese lifters had not finished yet. First, 23-year-old ZENG Tiantian (CHN), in with a chance of a gold medal in her first international competition, failed at 144kg.
Next was LIAO Guifang (CHN), the 2019 junior world champion, who had two attempts at 147kg. She failed both times and Toma had her second world title. When she won the first, in Anaheim, California in 2017, neither China nor North Korea had been there.
Toma had been excluded from the Tokyo Olympic Games because of a doping-related ban on her national federation.
Asked what it meant to finally prove herself the best in the world by getting the better of Chinese opponents, Toma struggled for words and said, “I wish I could explain it…” before disappearing to pose with fans for some photos.
While she was doing that, a friend revealed that Toma had had her phone stolen by a monkey while she was training in Bali earlier this year. Had she got it back?
“No,” Toma said, “I had to win here tonight to be able to buy a new one.” She may not smile very often, but Toma has a sense of humour.
She finished on 119-137-256, ahead of Zeng on 113-140-253 and Angie PALACIOS (ECU) on 116-136-252.
Liao won the clean and jerk on 140kg, from Zeng also on 140kg and Olivia REEVES (USA) on 138kg, but was fourth on total after missing two of her snatch attempts.
Source: IWF, Brian Oliver
Photo: IWF
