Canada’s Maude Charron becomes first non-Asian weightlifting champion at Tokyo 2020

Canada’s Pan American weightlifting champion Maude Charron broke the Asian resistance in the weightlifting to win 64kg gold on Tuesday at the Tokyo International Forum.

The 28-year-old Quebec native recorded a gigantic lift of 105kg in the snatch and 131kg in the clean and jerk to post a total of 236kg for gold and to become the first gold medalist in weightlifting at Tokyo 2020 from outside of Asia.

The Canadian starred in both the snatch and clean and jerk to finish ahead of Italy’s former European silver medalist Giorgia Bordignon who registered a total of 232kg after a 104kg snatch effort and a successful 128kg clean and jerk.

Carron said: “Everyone does their thing, and if the bar falls, the bar falls. That’s the game, that’s the play, that’s the sport - you miss or you make it.

“If you make your three attempts of course the score will be higher, but that’s the sport, you’ve just got to lift that bar and try your best.”

“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.”

Carron also tried to explain to the media how it felt to hear her anthem in the weightlifting arena on the sport’s greatest stage.

“Actually I don’t remember (laughs), I was just crying and I didn’t realize what happened.”

Bronze went to China’s Chen Wen-Huei who was third best in both the snatch and the clean and jerk with a total of 230kg after a 103kg snatch and a 127kg clean and jerk.

In the 59kg category, which was also contested on Tuesday, gold went to Chinese Taipei standout Kuo Hsing-Chun who registered not one, not two, but three Olympic records to win gold in style.

Kuo said: “I aimed for the world record. I couldn’t achieve that today which was a bit of a regret, but I did get the gold medal, so I’m happy.

“I finally have my gold medal. All the pieces have come together now. I’m very happy.

“I didn’t think much about the other competitors, I was very focused on myself. I have my own goals, and I was very focused on achieving my own goals.”

Kuo registered 103kg in the snatch, which was seven kilograms more than her nearest rival, and a colossus 133kg clean and jerk which was another record at this level and naturally led to a record-breaking Olympic total of 236kg to finish 19kg ahead of Turkmenistan’s Polina Guryeva who took silver with an impressive 217kg total.

Bronze went to Japan’s Mikiko Andoh who scored a total of 214kg as the hosts hit the medal trail on Tuesday. The Japanese competitor lifted 94kg in the snatch and 120kg in the clean and jerk to register one of the best scores of the day which was enough for bronze.

He said: “I’m very happy that I got a bronze medal. This is something that I can show to people.

“My feet were hurting, so I did not see the final lift (of my competitor).”

“After the snatch, my feet were hurting so badly that I was hardly able to walk. My mental power pushed me through the clean & jerk. That is why I felt really relieved. That is how I was feeling.”