PARIS (Reuters) -Norway's Solfrid Koanda put in a dominant performance to win the new 81kg weightlifting title at the Paris Games on Saturday, hoisting aloft a combined total of 275kg to give her country only its second Olympic title in the sport.
The 25-year-old took gold 52 years after compatriot Leif Goran Jenssen became Olympic light-heavyweight champion at the 1972 Munich Games.
Koanda narrowly missed taking the lead in the snatch after Ecuador's Neisi Dajomes lifted an impressive 122kg on her third attempt to finish just one kilo higher.
However, former 87kg world champion Koanda showed her strength with a superb lift of 148kg on her first attempt at the clean and snatch, only to beat it by six kilograms on her second and secure the gold.
"Since I was little I've always loved to work hard. I feel like I've always had a purpose, and I feel that working hard, lifting heavy weights is my purpose. And I got to shine on that stage today and receive a gold medal around my neck," Koanda told reporters.
Egypt's Sara Ahmed, former world champion in the 76kg weight class, lifted an impressive 151kg in her second attempt of the clean and jerk to finish with a total of 268kg and grab the silver.
"I wanted to get the gold. But I'm very happy and satisfied and grateful to God that I got the silver. In the future, this experience will make me better and take me to the top," Ahmed said.
Dajomes took bronze with a total of 267kg after failing her third attempt in the clean and jerk due to a fainting episode on the stage, however, she quickly recovered.
The 26-year-old Ecuadorian has her second Olympic medal after winning the 76kg title in Tokyo three years ago and matched her sister Angie Palacios, who also took bronze in the 71kg category on Friday.
"It has been months of hard work to be able to be here. The colour of the medal doesn't really matter, as long as it's an Olympic medal. I’m very thankful to God and for being able to share this experience with my sister," Dajomes said.
After the Tokyo Games the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) reorganised the programme and the 81kg women's class is one of the new Olympic categories for Paris.
World champion Liang Xiaomei, the world record holder with a combined 284kg, was left out of China's team.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Paris; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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