Tokyo: Fares Ibrahim etched his name in the history books, winning the first-ever Olympic gold medal for Qatar after outclassing his opponents in men’s weightlifting 96kg at the Tokyo Games, yesterday.
The 23-year-old’s total of 402 also gave him a new Olympic records at the Tokyo International Forum yesterday.
Venezuela’s Keydomar Giovanni Vallenilla Sanchez claimed a silver medal with (387) while Georgia’s Anton Pliesnoi got bronze medal (387).
Fares put up 177kg in the snatch before sliding into the clean and jerk and setting an Olympic record in that lift with a weight of 225kg.
It was one of two Olympic records he broke yesterday along with a massive combined score of 402 that was too much for any of his competitors on the day to even approach.
“I’m very honoured to win the first-ever gold medal for Qatar,” a jubilant Fares said after collecting the historic gold yesterday.
“I feel great, incredible. We worked hard for it. We went so far to get this and it feels better than ever. I am literally speechless about that [getting the first gold for Qatar]” he added.
“I hope Qatar is proud of me. I promise this is not the end, we still have more and more coming soon. We will do our best to make it even better,” said Fares.
Before Fares’ feat, high jumper Mutaz Barshim – also a reigning world champion – was the most successful Olympic athlete for Qatar with a bronze at London 2012 and a silver medal at Rio Games in 2016. Barshim will compete in the high jump final today, eyeing second gold for Qatar in Tokyo.
Qatar’s Mohamed Suleiman with a bronze finish in 1,500m at Barcelona 1992, weightlifter Said Saif Asaad, who clinched a bronze at Sydney 2000 and Nasser Al Attiyah (shooting bronze at London 2012) are the other Team Qatar athletes to win medals at Olympics.
The two-time junior world champion (94kg), Fares, also holds the junior world record in the clean & jerk (225 kg) and total (397 kg) in the 96 kg division.
Yesterday, after lifting 225kg, Fares attempted a world record 232kg clean and jerk but wasn’t able to make the lift.
Sanchez of Venezuela (silver) made a combined weight of 387 on the night while Pliesnoi finished with the same 387, which was enough only for the bronze when the tie-breaking criteria was consulted (the Venezuelan was ranked above Pliesnoi because he made his best clean and jerk lift earlier in the competition).
Canada’s Boady Santavy put up the heaviest weight over the three snatch lifts (178) but he was unable to produce similarly in the clean and jerk and, eventually, landed in fourth place and just outside of the podium places.
Fares' triumph to motivate Team Qatar athletes: Al Buenain
Fares' triumph yesterday brought delight back home while Qatar’s top sports officials lauded the historic win.
“It’s a result of huge effort put by Fares and the Qatar Weightlifting Federation (QWF),” Qatar Olympic Committee Secretary-General Jassim Rashid Al Buenain said yesterday.
“Fares performance was outstanding as he also smashed Olympic records. This victory will motivate other Team Qatar Athletes to do well in their competitions and we wish them all the best,” he added.
QWF President Mohamed Yousef Al Mana said: “The success has been achieved thanks to the unlimited support of the wise leadership. There was great keenness to provide support and assistance to all the champions who represent Qatar in the Tokyo Olympics. Our hero Fares Ibrahim also received great moral support in his preparation.”
Team Qatar’s Chef de Mission for Tokyo 2020 Olympics Mohammed Saeed Al Misnad said Fares has made the entire country proud with his achievement. “I want to congratulate the entire country for this historic achievement. Fares proved he is a world class athlete with his gold medal with Olympic records. It is a result of sheer hardwork by Fares and his team,” he said.
Fares’ father Ibrahim Hassouna, who is also his coach was proud of his son for winning the first-ever gold for Qatar.
“I did not doubt for a moment that Fares would not achieve this feat because of his determination and hard work,” he said.
“Fares underwent extensive training including a training camp in Georgia. He worked very hard with an aim to win gold and he was very confident about that,” he added.
