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Weightlifting: Nikos Kourtidis wins bronze medal
HellenicAthletes.com Staff
| Tuesday, September 25 2007 1:42:43 PM |
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The news keeps getting better out of Chiang Mai, Thailand at the world weightlifting championships.
Nikos Kourtidis, the lightest competitor in the 105 kg "A" group at just slightly over 100 kg (220 lbs), won a bronze medal today in the clean & jerk section with a lift of 226 kg on his 3rd attempt.
He had lifted 217 in his first and 223 in his 2nd.
The gold went to Alan Tsagaev of Bulgaria who lifted 231 kg, and the silver to Andrei Aramnau of Belarus who lifted 228. Both those men outweighed Kourtidis, with Tsagaev almost nine pounds heavier.
With the bronze, Kourtidis, only 21 years of age, wins the first major international medal for Greece since the great Pyrros Dimas won bronze at Athens 2004.
In the snatch, Kourtidis missed his first attempt at 175, made it on the second and successfully lifted 177 on his 3rd, good enough for 7th in that discipline.
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Nikos Kourtidis
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See Also: Nikos Kourtidis shouldering Greek weightlifting hopes
Overall he lifted 403 kg, good enough for 5th overall and very valuable points for the team.
"This brings such joy, because with these types of successes we are trying to somewhat resemble the old team (90's Dream Team), winning medals just like they did, even if they are not gold. I wanted gold and I believed that I could get it with the 226 clean, but the other two had good lifts," said Kourtidis, adding, "I was very tight in the snatch, my body had not relaxed enough since training. I drank a lot of liquids in the break before the clean, I relaxed, and things went better from that point."
Kourtidis also said his older brother Kostas was by his side and provided much support, and added that the objective was to start safely and not risk any no-lifts given the team was looking for maximum overall points in this competition.
"I would not replace this medal for anything, because it is my first at a world championship. I dedicate it to my family and naturally my coaches, who are working so hard with us down this path we are on," said Kourtidis.
Also today, Vasilis Konstantinidis did not score any overall points as he failed on all his clean & jerk lifts. Coming off an injury, he was able to complete only 165 kg in the snatch for 13th in that section. Tomorrow is the final day of competition, with super-heavyweight Dimitris Papageridis in action as well as Katerina Roditi and Vasiliki Kasapi in the women's +75 kg.
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