Commonwealth Games: Etoundi battles through torn bicep for bronze in weightlifting
Australian weightlifter Francois Etoundi has battled through a torn bicep to claim Bronze at the Commonwealth Games.
Indian athlete Sathish Kumar Sivalingam won the men’s 77kg weightlifting by 5kg over England’s Jack Oliver.
Etoundi started strongly at the Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre, celebrating his third successful snatch with a backflip on the platform.
When you’re EXTREMELY happy about lifting 136kg on your final attempt. Australia’s Francois Etoundi in the mix at the men’s 77kg weightlifting. #GC2018 @abcnews @abcgrandstan pic.twitter.com/D8DR0IWni9
— James Maasdorp ? (@MaasdorpJR) April 7, 2018
However, he was third after the snatch round, with Oliver leading and Sivalingam second.
Etoundi lifted 162kg in his first clean and jerk, then failed at 168kg, clutching his left shoulder.
“When I put the bar down I heard a ‘click’,” he said.
“I didn’t want to show the coaches how much I was hurting because I wanted to try 175kg on my last lift, but they were a little bit scared to let me.”
On his final lift he attempted 169kg.
However, he came back to the stage to collect his bronze medal with his arm in a sling.
“This is my home crowd. I didn’t want to disappoint them,” he said.
“I know that if I didn’t have this injury, this would have been a gold medal for sure – 100 per cent,”
A good clean-and-jerk for Francois Etoundi at 169kg, but comes up with a shoulder injury and in some distress. Helped off the stage to a big cheer. @abcgrandstand #GC2018 pic.twitter.com/JlXaeINSr5
— James Maasdorp ? (@MaasdorpJR) April 7, 2018
