5th WUC Weightlifting: Day 4 of Competitions

MERIDA – Mexican Óscar Verdugo Ramírez (105 kg) failed his second lifting attempt at the Clean & Jerk and lost the advantage. After this, the golden medals for this modality and the total weren’t for him; but he got the gold medal at the Snatch modality and two silver medals during the fourth day of the 5^th World University Weightlifting Championship.

Yoshihiro Tada (JPN)

The student from the Autonomous University of Sinaloa (UAS) started really strong when he lifted 152 kg at his first Snatch attempt and took advantage that the Japanese, Yoshihiro Tada, used two of his attempts to lift 146 kg. The Japanese, who won both of the golden medals that the Mexican didn’t win, could pick up the same barbell weight as the Mexican, hoping his rival couldn’t lift the barbell and winning by his lesser corporal weight. However, Verdugo Ramírez lifted 154 kg turning himself into the winner of this modality, the second place was for Tada and the third place was won by American Evan Graybill after he lifted 147 kg.

The Clean & Jerk modality was different. Óscar began three kilos over the Japanese (187 kg and 184 kg respectively). Tada lifted a record that the Mexican needed to beat, 194 kg. Óscar tried to lift 195 kg but he failed his second attempt and got it at the third one. Furthermore, the Mexican left the initiative to his rival and Tada got the gold medal after he lifted 197 kg. The bronze medal was awarded to the American Matthew McCarty (182 kg).

Óscar Verdugo Ramírez (MEX)

At the total, Yoshihiro tied alongside with Óscar when both of them added 349 kg; but the Japanese won because he has less corporal weight than the Mexican. The bronze medal was won by Evan Graybill (318 kg), after he took advantage from his compatriot Matthew

McCarty as he couldn’t lift anything at the Snatch.

“I feel delighted about the medals, I’m not disappointed as I couldn’t win the three golden medals the championship was challenging but the effort was worth it, now let’s enjoy them”, said Verdugo Ramírez. The Mexican was supported by the Yucatecan people, as they were clapping and shouting all the time. “Unfortunately I couldn’t lift the second attempt at the Clean & Jerk, I wasn’t concentrated and the barbell slipped from my hands, but at the third attempt I did it and I forced the Japanese to pick up more weight”, Óscar concluded.

Tania Mascorro Osuna (MEX)

Mexican weightlifter Tania Mascorro Osuna won the three golden medals at the women’s +75 kg women category, at the last day of the 5^th World University Weightlifting Championship. “I’m glad for giving this satisfaction to my university and leaving this university championship after winning three golden medals”, the student from the Autonomous University of Sinaloa (UAS) commented. The Mexican achieved first and third place next to Gladis Bueno Placiencia in this trial by lifting 114 kg and 143 kg in snatch, for a total of 257 kg, and surpassing the second place by 8 kg, and securing both medals since the second try. “It was a championship where I didn’t have my best score, however, I easily won this competition; in order to achieve this, I had to practice day and night, a training that is required to perform at the highest level”, the weightlifter said. After the injury she suffered last year, these medals cheer her up, leaving this bad experience in the past and looking forward to good things in the future.

“I’ll rest for the rest of the year and will start to prepare myself for what´s coming the next year, we have the Pan-American Championship and the World Championship, where I hope to arrive in a good shape and have a good performance” the 27-year-old pointed out.

Mexican medallists Gladis Bueno Placiencia (l) & Tania Mascorro Osuna (r)

At last, Tania showed herself happy that her friend and teammate, Gladis, came back to fight for the podium, taking home three bronze medals. She also reiterated that it was not a revenge of the Olympic Games, where she was left out.

(Source: OC #WUCWeightlifting2016)