Weightlifting at the 2012 London Summer Games:

Based on his 345 kg total at the most recent Chinese National Championships, Lin Qingfeng was considered the favorite to win gold in the men’s lightweight weightlifting division at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He would face significant competition, however, from Mete Binay, the 2010 World Champion from Turkey, Əfqan Bayramov of Azerbaijan, the reigning European Champion, and Arakel Mirzoyan of Armenia, 2009 European Champion and 2009 world runner-up. The B group, which usually consisted of weightlifters outside of the world’s top ten, set an unusually high bar for the event. Junior Sánchez of Venezuela, the 2011 Pan American Games silver medalist, lifted 148 kg in the snatch, a mark that was bested by only three competitors in the A pool. Kim Myong-Hyok of North Korea’s lift of 184 kg in the clean and jerk was even more impressive, bested by only two participants from the favored group and leaving him in first place at the end of the round.

Lin won the snatch portion of the competition with a lift of 157 kg, five kilograms more than his nearest competitor, Răzvan Martin of Romania, who had been runner-up at the last two European Championships. Binay came in third with a 150 kg lift, while Bayramov was eliminated after failing to lift 142 kg in three attempts. Martin became the first person to surpass Kim and Sánchez in total points by lifting 177 kg in his first attempt at the clean and jerk. Binay attempted to be the next by lifting 180 kg, but failed on both attempts and was left out of the running for a medal, while Martin successfully lifted the weight and increased his lead by 3 kilograms. Lin then succeeded in his attempt at 182 kg, placing him well above Martin thanks to his impressive snatch performance. With no realistic hope of surpassing Lin, Martin attempted a 182 kg lift that failed, while Lin extended his lead with a successful try at 187 kg. In between Indonesia’s [Triyatno], twice World Championship bronze medalist (2009 and 2010) and third-place finisher at the 2008 Olympic Games, lifted 186 kg to guarantee himself a podium spot. Triyatno seemed to have reached his limit at that point, but managed the best lift of the tournament with 188 kg to pass Martin and take the silver medal. For his final lift, Lin attempted to break the world record with 198 kg and, although he was not successful, he certainly went home a champion.