Kazakh weightlifter and two-time Olympic Champion Ilya Ilyin has won a gold medal at the World Weightlifting Championship in Almaty, thus becoming a four-time World Champion, Tengrinewsreports citing Vesti.kz.
At the championship, Ilya Ilyin competed in a new weight category of 105 kilos, instead of his previous 94 kilos.
In the snatch, Ilyin finished third with 190 kilos. In the clean and jerk, the Kazakh athlete first lifted 233 kilos, and then ordered 239 kilos, but failed to handle the weight. In the final attempt, he snatched 242 kilos, thus, setting a new world record.
As a result, Ilyin finished first with 432 kilos, so did Ruslan Nurudinov from Uzbekistan. But due to the latter’s larger weight, Ilyin clinched a gold medal.
President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev made a telephone call to Ilyin right after his victory to congratulate the Kazakh weightlifter.
Ilyin, a Kyzylorda (a city in the south of Kazakhstan) native is the first and the only two time Olympic Champion from Kazakhstan. He is currently the world and Olympic record holder in both the clean and jerk (233 kg) and the overall total (418 kg) in the 94 kg class. Since his debut at the World Weightlifting Championship in Doha, Qatar in 2005, Ilyin had always won gold at large competitions including Asian and World Championships and Olympic Games in 2008 and 2012.
Kazakhstan’s national team finished third at the World Weightlifting Championship that was held in Almaty on November 8-16. Kazakh athletes won five medals: three gold and two silver. Olympic champion of the 2012 London Games Zulfiya Chinshanlo hauled a gold medal in 53 kilo weight league. Young Kazakh weightlifter Zhazira Zhapparkul won a silver medal in 69 kilo weight league. As for men, in 94 kilo weight category, Zhassulan Kydyrbayev clinched gold and Vladimir Sedov — silver.
By Assel Satubaldina
http://en.tengrinews.kz/sport/Kazakhstans-Ilya-Ilyin-becomes-four-time-World-Champion-257513/
