Elien Perez and Mary Flor Diaz were dealt contrasting fates in the 2021 World Weightlifting Championships, Wednesday at the Uzbekistan Sports Complex.
Perez, who is competing in her third straight Worlds in the women’s minus-49 kilogram division, shook off some nerves to end with a total of 166 kilograms — good for eighth place among 13 participating lifters.
The Bohol-native tried to improve vastly on her 2019 total, but her initial attempt at 73 kg could not prosper. Nonetheless, she eventually lifted the said weight and settled for it as her try at 77 kg was a no lift.
Perez then started well in the clean and jerk with 93 kg. However, she could not take up the bar four kilograms heavier later and finished with 93 for the said portion and for the aforementioned total.
In the minus-45 kg event, Mary Flor Diaz could not come up with a total after faltering in all her attempts at 73 kg for the snatch.
The 2021 Asian silver medalist, however, bounced back in the clean and jerk and registered two weights with 80 kg as her final score in the said portion of the competition.
Thailand took the two golds in the said two weight classes with Thunya Sukcahroen and Surodchana Khambao taking the world titles in total for the women’s 49 and 45 kg weight classes, in that order. The former ended with 172 kg and the latter with 191.
Sukcharoen also pocketed the snatch gold and the clean and jerk silver with 77 and 95 kg, respectively. Manuela Berrio of Colombia bagged three medals — the biggest of which is her total silver with 170 kg on the strength of her bronze in snatch (75 kg) and silver in clean and jerk (95 kg), Reigning world champion Saziye Erdogan finished this time with the bronze with a total of 169 kg.
Khambao, on the other hand, dominated the 49 kg class, sweeping all the golds at stake — the snatch with 88 kg, the clean and jerk with 105 kg, and for the total of 191. Rira Suzuki of Japan also clinched all the silvers for a total of 179 kg, while compatriot Ibuki Takahashi completed the podium with 172.
