The 23-year-old lifter has met no challenge at all since the snatch and she lifted 145kg in her first jerk attempt to nail the gold.
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Belarus’ Naumava looked incredibly strong overhead in the clean & jerk and secured silver on her third lift of that portion.
Gold medalist Rim Jong Sim of North Korea wipes tears Friday as she listens to her national anthem during the awards ceremony for the women’s 75-kilogram weightlifting competition.
“I am very communicative and I like to celebrate when things go well and when I’m happy I like to demonstrate it”, she said.
Three other North Korean lifters have failed to threaten the podium this week and the hermit country are well behind their most successful medal haul in weightlifting at any Olympics.
“It may be a bronze medal but it feels like gold”, said Valentin. “I was really overwhelmed with happiness that I won this gold medal so I can send this honor to my leader (Kim Jong-un)”.
Rim’s affable demeanour was in stark contrast to most of North Korea’s other weightlifters this week, presumably on account of her pleasing leader Kim.
North Korean athletes often dedicate their victories to Kim, who is known as a sports enthusiast.
Rim’s gold came after compatriots Om Yun-chol finished second in the men’s 56kg while Choe Hyo-sim stepped onto the podium in the women’s 63kg. “As for my family, I just meet them again once I’m in North Korea, so I have nothing special to say”.
There was disappointment for Brazil’s Jaqueline Ferreira, who failed with all three snatch attempts. All the time I train alone, just me in a training camp.
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Rim won by a margin of 16kg and became the first woman to win gold in both the 69kg and 75kg, having clinched the former title at London 2012. “But I’ve endured hard training, believing it would get me closer to the gold medal”. “It’s for the people who come to support me and love me”, she added.
