TOKYO, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Maud G Charron took the Olympic gold medal in weightlifting women's 64kg category at Tokyo 2020 here on Tuesday, giving Canada its second ever Olympic gold in women's weightlifting events.
Charron, 28, was heavily favored to win the event and took a narrow lead as she snatched 105kg, just one kilo more than Giorgia Bordignon of Italy, the sixth-place finisher at Rio Games in the women's 63kg.
The Canadian, winner at 2020 Pan American Championships, showed her power in the clean and jerk as she hoisted 131kg to secure the title.
Chen Wen-Huei of Chinese Taipei tried to challenge Charron but failed in her last two lifts. The 34-year-old Bordignon made three good lifts in a row in the jerk, but finished the jerk at 128kg, totaling 232kg to take silver.
Charron recalled her training during the pandemic. "The gym in Quebec closed so I had to take my stuff - my bar and my plates - to my dad's garage. I trained there for a whole year along with my dog."
"It was fine, I just picture myself there in my peaceful place and it puts me in the right mood."
Charron cried and thought about her grandmother when hearing the Canadian anthem on the podium.
"I thought about my grandmother because once she told me she'd like me to sing the Canadian anthem, so I sang it, but on the podium at the Olympics," she said.
Canada won the gold medal in women's 63kg weightlifting at London 2012 through Christine Girard, who was awarded gold after the games had been completed, following the disqualification of other athletes.
"She is my idol. Now I just feel like that's her medal, that's her moment, because she didn't have it in real time. So it's just a medal and a moment due to Canada," Charron told the press.
Bordignon, the fifth-place finisher at European championships in 2019, talked about Italy's upturn in success in weightlifting at the Olympics.
"Things are changing, there's a new generation, and now who's winning are the people who are facing their fears, and they thoroughly deserve it," she said.
Chen, winner at the Asian championships in April, clinched the bronze with a total of 230kg.
Deng Wei, the Olympic gold medalist in Rio 2016 and world record holder in women's 64kg, has been left out of China's squad after being sidelined by a waist injury. She set the total world record at 261kg at the world championships in 2019. Enditem