Malleshwari wins bronze in weightlifting

Sydney: After all the despondency, there was something to cheer about for the Indian camp at the Olympics. Woman weightlifter Karnam Malleshwari figured in the medal bracket (the first Indian to do so) by winning a bronze in the 69-kg category.

The event also saw a world record in the snatch with eventual silver medallist Markus Erzsebt of Hungary lifting 112.5 kgs. Gold medal winner Lin Weining of China and Malleshwari had lifted 110 kgs in the snatch.

Weining and Erzsebt tied for the top spot as both had identical totals of 242.5 kgs. Weining lifted 132.5 kgs in the clean and jerk as against Erzsebt's 130 kgs. Weining, however, won the gold on the body weight.

Weining weighed 66.74 kgs against Erzsebt's 68.52 kgs. Malleshwari also lifted 130 kgs in the clean and jerk to total 240 kgs for the overall bronze.