Berestov grabs shock gold for Russia

Russia's Dmitry Berestov performs to win the gold medal in the men's 105kg weightlifting final at the Nikaia Olympic Hall in Athens during the Olympics Games. - AFP

Athens - Dmitry Berestov of Russia took full advantage of a mystifying performance by Qatar world champion Asaad Said Saif Asaad, who moved to the tiny oil state from Bulgaria in a football-style transfer, to win the heavyweight weightlifting gold on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old Berestov, who was runner up in this year's European Championships, lifted a total of 425kg to give the former powerhouses their first gold in the men's Olympic competition.

Ferenc Gyurkovics of Hungary lifted a 'life or death' 225kg in the clean and jerk to grab silver on 420kg with Ukraine's Igor Razoronov being relegated to bronze medal position on higher body weight after registering the same total.

As Berestov celebrated what he described as a 'surprise win', the Qatar delegation were piecing together a night of lost opportunity.

Asaad had been expected to deliver Qatar their first Olympic gold and repay a one million US dollar investment in him and seven Bulgarian teammates in the late 1990s.

But the grand plan disintegrated as Asaad, who as Angel Popov won the 1999 Junior World Championship for Bulgaria, passed on a vital lift, missed two more and then had a seemingly good attempt ruled out 2-1 by the judges.

Asaad, a bronze medallist in the Sydney Olympics and the 2002 Asian Games champion, looked well in command in the snatch with a lift of 192.5kg.

But he did not take his third attempt causing anguish among the Qatar camp led by Mohamed Yousef Al Mana, the president of the country's weightlifting federation.

"I spoke to the coach and Asaad was not injured - it was a psychological thing," he said. "He did not feel up to lifting heavier in that section."

Asaad, trailing by 2.5kg going into the clean and jerk, made two half-hearted attempts at 225kg before having his 227.5kg lift ruled out by the judges. He finished unranked.

"I thought it was a good lift," said Qatar weightlifting coach Salman Almass Ahmad. "But it would not have been good enough for a medal. I cannot explain what happened (tonight)."

Qatar sport was in the news earlier this year when the Football Association tried to bring in several Brazilians to play for the national team. FIFA scuppered the plan by clamping down on naturalisation by players who do not have an obvious connection with their new country.

Big money has enticed the likes of Gabriel Batistuta, Stefan Effenberg and Franck Leboeuf to finish their playing careers in Qatar, a situation which critics say is stalling the careers of young Qatari players.

Gold medallist Berestov did not dwell on the Qatar lifter's nightmare.

"It is true I did not expect to win but I have the gold," he said. "There were times during the competition I did not think it was going to be my day."

Silver medallist Gyurkovics said that he had decided to gamble on a higher weight in the clean and jerk.

"I had missed a lower weight and it was a life or death lift - thankfully I made it and it was life not death," he said. "The coach probably was near to getting a heart attack. But all is well that ends well."

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin