Talha Talib misses bronze by a whisker

KARACHI: Pakistan’s premier weightlifter Talha Talib did a wonderful job but failed to finish at the victory podium in the 67 kilogramme competitions in connection with the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday.

Talha pulled off his career-best in both snatch and clean and jerk to finish overall fifth in an absorbing competition.

Talha lifted 150 in snatch and 170 in clean and jerk and finished with a total of 320. He had also given this total in his entry.

He finished two kilograms behind the bronze medallist Zaani Mirko of Italy who finished with a total of 322kg — 145kg snatch and 174kg clean and jerk.

Talha lifted 144, 147 and 150. His clean and jerk efforts were 166 (misfit), 166 and 170.

Talha’s previous best snatch was 148kg and his best clean and jerk was 167kg which he registered in the Asian Championship in Tashkent early this year.

Talha’s snatch of 150 turned out to be the second best in the competition in 67kg while he remained seventh in clean and jerk, the area in which he has been weak.

Talha was featured in the event at the IOC Invitation Place.

China’s Chen Lijun got the gold medal with an amazing total of 332kg which is also the Olympic record. He produced 145kg in snatch after a couple of missed lifts before going for a record 187kg in clean and jerk to win the coveted title.

Mosquera Lozano of Columbia won silver with a total of 331kg — 151 in snatch and 180 in clean and jerk.

Italy’s Zanni Mirko got bronze with a total of 322 — 145 in snatch and 177 in clean and jerk.

Korea’s Han Myeong Ok finished fourth with 321 — 147 in snatch and 174 in clean and jerk.

Talha’s feat impressed former Pakistan Weightlifting Federation’s official Rashid Malik. “It was a splendid effort by Talha,” Malik told ‘The News’.

“I have not seen in my life any Pakistani weightlifter offering such a fantastic fight at such a major stage,” he said.

“I had already told you that he would need to reach 172 or 173 in clean and jerk and Talha lagged behind the others,” Malik said.

“But I salute Talha for the superb effort. Imagine how much resources would have been utilised by those weightlifters who won medals in the 67 kg category,” he added.

“Look Talha was trained by his father in Gujranwala with meagre resources. Had he been sent to Tokyo 15 days ahead of the Olympics he could have finished at the victory podium,” Malik said. “He had the capacity to produce 173 in clean and jerk,” he said.

“But I would say that his performance at such a grand stage has shown that he is capable of progressing further. The next year is loaded with major events and the PWF should send him to Iran, Uzbekistan or Russia along with a coach and I am sure he will lift medals in future major events. His gold in the Commonwealth Games is now confirmed. But he will have to focus also on clean and jerk and should improve in the area. You saw today the others did well in that zone which paid dividends for them,” Malik said.