Olympic Games: Weightlifting: Gold lifts Bulgaria

IVAN IVANOV started the rehabilitation of Bulgarian weightlifting following humiliation four years ago by winning the opening gold medal of the competition.

The whole Bulgarian team was sent home from Seoul in disgrace after two members were stripped of gold medals for failing drugs tests, so the unrestrained delight they showed when Ivanov added the gold in the up to 52 kilogram flyweight category to his three world championships was understandable. Ivanov, who lifted a total of 265kg, secured the title with a final lift of 150kg.

The unluckiest competitor of the day was the Albanian, Genc Barkici, who had to withdraw before making a single lift. He trapped his fingers in a door just before the event started.