Thailand's Sopita Tanasan wins 48kg gold in Olympic debut

[rooster59]

Thailand's Sopita Tanasan wins 48kg gold in Olympic debut 

 

JENNA FRYER, AP Sports Writer

 

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — In her Olympic debut, Sopita Tanasan came away with gold.

 

The Thailand native won the women's 48-kilogram category Saturday in the first weightlifting event at the Rio de Janeiro Games.

 

Tanasan snatched 92 kilograms and lifted 108 kilograms in the clean and jerk for a total of 200 kilograms. It was her first time competing on the world level at that weight class.

 

On her first lift in clean and jerk, Tanasan easily succeeded at 106 kilos to take the lead. She lifted 108 kilos on her second attempt, but failed at 110 kilos on her final try.

 

In a last-ditch bid to snatch the gold, Sri Wahuni Agustiani of Indonesia twice tried to lift 115 kilos to overtake Tanasan. She failed on the first try and Tanasan celebrated by hugging her coaches in the green room.

 

"I didn't know what to think," Tanasan said. "I didn't think she would be able to lift it."

 

Agustiani was able to lift the bar on her second attempt and her coaches screamed in celebration, but she couldn't jerk the weight. She said she's lifted 118 kilos before in practice and thought she'd maybe pull it off for the gold.

 

"It just wasn't meant to be," she said.

 

Agustiani won silver and Hiromi Miyake of Japan took bronze.

 

Morghan King failed to end the United States' 16-year streak of not medaling in the 48kg category, finishing sixth. Tara Nott was the last American to medal, winning gold in 2000. Still, King sent an American record. Her lift of 83 kilos in the snatch broke the U.S. record of 82.5, which had been set by Nott in Sydney. King added 100 kilos in the clean and jerk for a total of 183 kilos.

 

"The snatch was something I've been working on for a long time. The clean and jerk, I knew it was going to be a lot tougher. But, I'm happy," King said. "I still have to pinch myself that I was out there. You are in the moment and focusing on your lift, then just trying to do your best, and then it's all over. It's kind of surreal."

 

The event became somewhat wide open after the sudden withdrawal of favorite Hou Zhihui of China. Predicted by many to win the gold, the 19-year-old left Rio with what was described as a knee injury. But there was speculation that the injury — whatever its severity — helped China decide to replace her on the team with over-75kg lifter Meng Suping.

 

With the Russian weightlifters banned from participating, Meng became a favorite in the heavier division.

 

So with Hou out of the way, the competition became a crapshoot that Tanasan quickly took control of as the last lifter in the snatch division.

She easily lifted 88 kilos on her first attempt — best of the round — and then bettered her mark twice to 90 kilos then 92 kilos.

 

Thi Huyen Vuong of Vietnam failed to advance past the snatch round after three unsuccessful attempts at 83 kilos and 84 kilos. It trimmed the field to 11 lifters vying for the medal, all chasing Tanasan.

 

The 22-year-old Tanasan dropped down from the 53kg class to make her Olympic debut. She lifted 195 kilos to win the junior world championships in that class in 2014, and she was fourth overall at the world championships last year after lifting 210 kgs.

 

No previous data was available for Tanasan in the 48kg class.

 

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-08-07

[mcfish]

Well done!

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

[NumbNut]

I've just watched her medal lifts on Youtube, you should see the big smile when she gets the bar above her head! Great to see! With that sort of weight you wouldn't be getting a smile out of me, that's for sure.

 

Congratulations Sopita, well done! Olympic CHAMPION!

 

[robblok]

I lift a lot but i never try those kind of lifts (bit complicated mechanical). Well done and for someone who is only 48 kg lifting twice her body-weight in that exercise... really good. 

 

 

[puukao]

I weigh 200 kg and just lifted 1 kg super size soft drink....and now i'm tired

 

so great she is having a great day!!!!!!  

 

you look back on your life for days you are most happy.....this might easily be one of hers.  great.  

[Oziex1]

Well done to her, and well done to all posters for being positive and appreciative on this subject.

[PaulusE]

I think she is from Chiang Mai, yes?

 

Anyway, well done!

[Wilsonandson]

Go Girl !

[Crossy]

Yeah, we caught it live, a great finish and a massive smile from the little lady

 

Well done

[tuanku]

Thai women are stronger than the men, mentally and physically. great effort!

[robblok]

7 minutes ago, tuanku said:

Thai women are stronger than the men, mentally and physically. great effort!

 

Stupid remark.. men will always be stronger physically even pound for pound in general (based on the fat that men in general better muscle fat ratio and higher testosterone).. just a few exceptions.  If you put men in the same category and weight class as females the females will loose. 

 

The mental part is debatable and I have no opinion on it.

 

I guess just a post to show the dislike you have of Thai males. 

[tuanku]

5 minutes ago, robblok said:

 

Stupid remark.. men will always be stronger physically even pound for pound in general (based on the fat that men in general better muscle fat ratio and higher testosterone).. just a few exceptions.  If you put men in the same category and weight class as females the females will loose. 

 

The mental part is debatable and I have no opinion on it.

 

I guess just a post to show the dislike you have of Thai males. 

So how many 48kg Thai men could lift these weights?

[robblok]

Just now, tuanku said:

So how many 48kg Thai men could lift these weights?

 

Are you now first generalizing all Thai men and woman and then go specifically to this one person to make your point.. I would call that an epic fail 

[PaddyDaddy]

What a beautiful humble young lady.......well done Thailand......we don't get enough good news stories from here 

 

[Caps]

Great effort, well done

[DrTuner]

Impressive. Then again, Thai women have always been talented in clean & jerk.

[terminatorchiangmai]

i sure hope i never meet her in a bar. 

[williamgeorgeallen]

my girl was very proud today because of this and rightly so. she has asked me to buy her some gold a few times latley. i avoided getting married so there was no sinsot payment of cash and gold. i suggested she started training for the next olympics to earn her own gold.

[Petmag]

Well done that girl

[Lupatria]

Thailand's Sopita Tanasan wins 48kg gold…

If she won 48 kg gold, on her return expect a looong discussion at the airport customs about her hand luggage. 

[ebonykap]

 I love the way most, if not all, Thai sportspeople and sporting teams smile and give a friendly wai; win, lose or draw.

 

Most developed western countries could learn a lot from this example 

[Bannoi]

I have nothing but admiration for the young lady she certainly deserves a right royal reception when she returns.

[tuanku]

2 hours ago, robblok said:

 

Are you now first generalizing all Thai men and woman and then go specifically to this one person to make your point.. I would call that an epic fail 

Ok - have it your way, pedant. Some Thai women are stronger than some Thai men.

I do see international sporting successes more frequently for Thai women than men, which was kind of my point in the first place

[Thian]

You guys talk too mudd...now is basketball, USA vs China 

[Mansell]

Congratulations to the young lady and Thailand which she is representing. To win a gold in the Olympics is extremely rare which only very few people will do.....Kudos.

[Mansell]

Congratulations to the young lady and Thailand which she is representing. To win a gold in the Olympics is extremely rare which only very few people will do.....Kudos.

[Ulic]

Super effort, well done.

[MaxLee]

Way to go girl... Keep it up!!!

[Basil B]

48Kg...

 

I could lift that on my <deleted> 

[Kerryd]

 

3 hours ago, tuanku said:

So how many 48kg Thai men could lift these weights?

 

3 hours ago, robblok said:

 

Are you now first generalizing all Thai men and woman and then go specifically to this one person to make your point.. I would call that an epic fail 

 

The Olympics doesn't have a 48 kg class for the men. The lowest weight seems to be the 56 kg class. Thailand has 2 men competing in that class. One of them,  Witoon Mingmoon , won a Junior World Championship at the start of 2016 when he did a 115kg Snatch and a 150kg Clean and Jerk for a total of 265kgs, which was actually 29kgs more than the 2nd place finisher from Ecuador, and 32kgs more than the 3rd place finisher from Japan. Witoon noted that he has lifted 160 kgs in the Clean and Jerk in training. 

(The Junior World Record holder is a 22 y.o. from Vietnam who did a 135 kg Snatch and a 161 kg Clean and Jerk for a total of 296 kgs.)