Itte brings home a medal and retains Nauru’s proud record
Nauru's strongman and medal hope
Itte Detenamo wins his second Commonwealth Games silver medal in
Glasgow this week (31 July) in the super heavy weightlifting
competition, and maintains Nauru's proud record of winning a medal
at every Games it has contested since 1990.
Itte is the final competitor of the
nine athletes representing Nauru at this year's Commonwealth Games
and winner of Nauru's sole medal at the Games.
In a dramatic end to the
weightlifting in Glasgow, it became a battle of the strongest. In a
field of 12 only three other lifters had a chance of beating Itte.
One of them was reigning champion Damon Kelly of Australia, Darius
Jokarzadeh of Canada and George Kobaladze also of Canada.
Itte led by 3kg after the snatch with his best lift of 174 kilos
then intensified the competition in the clean & jerk by raising
the weight of the bar to 222kg breaking the 2010 record set by
Damon Kelly in Delhi. However Kobaladze stepped up to break that
record again with his second attempt of 223kg.
Itte's supporters in the auditorium
roared and cheered him on as the battle unfolded.
His third and final clean &jerk
attempt of 229kg proved too much only to see Kobaladze lift the
same to clinch the gold medal.
Disappointed but not beaten, Itte
may not have won the gold but he still returns home a champion.
This was Itte's third Commonwealth
Games. His first appearance was at Melbourne 2006 winning a bronze
medal followed by Delhi in 2010 with a silver medal.
Since 1990 Nauru has won 28 medals
in total - 10 gold, nine silver and nine bronze medals - all of
them in the sport of weightlifting.
Itte snatches 174kg.
Itte successfully lifts his second clean
& jerk attempt of 222kg initially breaking the CG record
previously held by Damon Kelly of Australia.
Itte successfully lifts his second clean
& jerk attempt of 222kg initially breaking the CG record
previously held by Damon Kelly of Australia.
Itte successfully lifts his second clean
& jerk attempt of 222kg initially breaking the CG record
previously held by Damon Kelly of Australia.
Itte accepting his ceremonial gift from
president of the International
Weightlifting Federation Dr Tamas Ajan at the medal
ceremony.
Itte on the medal dias with gold
medallist George Kobaladze (CAN) and bronze medallist Damon Kelly
(AUS).
