Charron wins Canada’s second ever weightlifting gold at Tokyo 2020

Maude Charron has become just the second Canadian woman to win an Olympic weightlifting medal, winning 64kg gold at Tokyo 2020.

Charron totaled 236kg for her snatch and clean and jerk, finishing four kilograms ahead of runner-up Giorgia Bordignon of Italy (232kg) and six kilos above bronze medallist Chen Wen-Huei of Chinese Taipei (230kg).

Charron strategically entered the snatch portion of the competition with the weight on the bar at 102kg, the highest entry weight of anyone in the field. With only three attempts per competitor, Charron did not waste any energy on a lower weight as she successfully got that 102kg on her record.

Charron next attempted to lift 105kg and was also successful, hitting a weight that no one else in the field could. The closest anyone came was 104kg, a weight lifted by two competitors. For her final snatch, Charron attempted 108kg, but could not get the bar above her head.

She took her one kilo lead to the clean and jerk, where she decided to enter the competition at 128kg, but was unsuccessful on her first attempt. She got right back up on the stage and this time got the bar above her head, putting her total weight at 233kg with one attempt remaining.

With the weight on the bar at 131kg, Charron got it up successfully and let out a scream, knowing it would be impossible for anyone else to match her total of 236kg.

Charron qualified for Tokyo 2020 as the number three-ranked woman in the 64kg event in the IWF Absolute Ranking.

Christine Girard is the only other Canadian woman to stand on an Olympic podium, having won gold at London 2012 and bronze at Beijing 2008. It is the fifth Olympic weightlifting medal all-time for Canada and just the second gold.

SOURCE- olympic.ca