Mutlu takes gold with three world records

Sydney: Turkey's Halil Mutlu broke all three of his world records to take the Olympic gold medal on Saturday in the men's 56 kg weightlifting competition.

Mutlu, the defending Olympic champion, snatched 138 kg to beat the previous world record of 137.5 kg he set at the world championships in Athens in November 1999.

He then hoisted 167.5 kg above his head in the clean-and-jerk to eclipse the world best of 166.5 kg he set at the European championships in Sofia in April this year.

His total of 305.0 kg was 2.5 kg more than the world record of 302.5 kg which he also set at the Athens world championship.

For world record purposes, only increases of 2.5 kg or more are recognised when calculating the overall world record mark. For the snatch and clean-and-jerk records, all weight increases are recognised.

Bulgaria's Ivan Ivanov took silver with a total of 292.5 kg, a full 12.5 kg below the phenomenal Turk. Ivanov snatched 130 kg and jerked 162.5 kg.

China's Wu Wenxiong claimed bronze with lifts of 125 kg in the snatch and 162.5 kg in the clean-and-jerk for a total of 287.5 kg.

Wu finished with the same total as compatriot and 1996 silver medallist Zhang Xiangxiang but took the medal due to lighter bodyweight.



(c) Reuters Limited.