The 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, are finally here. On Aug. 9 at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the best female strength athletes in the world gathered in the South Paris Arena to compete in the Women’s 71KG weightlifting event. If you’re still playing catch-up, here’s what you’ve missed today and yesterday:
- Women’s 59KG Weightlifting Results & Recap
- Men’s 73KG Weightlifting Results & Recap
- Men’s 89KG Weightlifting Results & Recap
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BarBend will update this page as the event progresses, including podium results and a play-by-play of the competition from start to finish. Stay tuned!
2024 Olympics: Women’s 71KG Weightlifting
- Olivia Reeves (USA): 268
- Angie Palacios-Dajomes (ECU): 261
- Loredana Toma (ROU): 256
- Vanessa Sarno (PHI): 249
- Neama Said (EGY): 246
- Chen Wen-Huei (TPE): 246
- Mari Sanchez Perinan (COL): 244
- Siuzanna Valodzka (AIN): 242
- Joy Eze (NGR): 239
- Amanda Da Costa (BRA): 238
- Jacqueline Nichele (AUS): 214, Continental
- Marie Fegue (FRA): Host
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2024 Olympics Women’s 71KG Weightlifting Results
Women’s 71KG Weightlifting Podium
- Gold: Olivia Reeves (USA) — 262 (117/145)
- Silver: Mari Sanchez Perinan (COL) — 252 (112/140)
- Bronze: Angie Palacios-Dajomes (ECU) — 256 (116/140)
Event Recap — Snatch
Australia’s Jacqueline Nichele opened the 71-kilogram event with a 90-kilogram snatch success. Nigeria’s Joy Eze followed at 95, while Egyptian Naema Said opened at 97. Nichele was the first athlete to miss a weight on her third attempt at 98.
Brazil’s Amanda Schott came out to hit the first 100-kilogram snatch of the event, clapping afterward. Vanessa Sarno of the Philippines followed and failed the weight Schott hit. She came back out for the same weight but missed it. She failed her third time as well, bombing out of the competition.
Eze reset the tone by making 101 kilos on her second attempt but suffered an unknown injury and hobbled off the platform. She said she missed the same weight on her second try. Chinese Taipei’s Chen Wen-Huei entered the fray with a 102 opener but missed behind.
Chen corrected her mistake on her second attempt for a good lift to pull temporarily into the lead. Schott came back out and fought to make 104, putting her ahead. Eze ended with a miss at 105. Chen’s final lift, 106, was a miss as well.
Vibrantly, Schott pulled off 106 kilograms on her final attempt with a rambunctious celebration. Then came Valodzka, an independent athlete, who opened with a confident 108. Colombia’s Mari Sanchez stepped up afterward and lifted the same weight with as much ease.
The bar rapidly crossed the 110-kilogram mark for Sanchez, Frenchwoman Marie Fegue, and snatch record holder Angie Palacios Dajomes. Romania’s Loredana Toma, formerly a snatch world record holder, started at 111 and smoked it.
Presumptive gold medalist Reeves of Team USA came out for a 112-kilogram snatch opener and made it look effortless. Sanchez then attempted the same weight on her last try and secured it. Valodzka capped out with a miss at 113, ending her run in the snatches.
Current snatch world record holder Palacios-Dajomes took 114 for a ride on her second attempt; seven kilos off her own record, but a good effort. Fegue tried to stay in the game with 114 as well but didn’t quite make it — she ended with a 110 result.
Then came Toma at 115, equal to the Olympic standard, a make for the Romanian. Reeves proceeded with a 115-second attempt of her own. Palacios-Dajomes was the first to set a new Olympic record with 116 on her third attempt, but it would not stand for long.
Toma and Reeves each had one attempt remaining; Toma hit 117, if shakily — the jury would retract the lift, citing a wobbly elbow, temporarily returning the record to Palacios. Reeves snatched it away and closed the session with the best result, though she nearly walked off the platform trying to stabilize the weight.
Event Recap — Clean & Jerk
Australia and Brazil kicked things off during the clean & jerks around the 115-kilogram mark. Eze and Said both put away 120 kilos for their openers, though with difficulty, while Nichele couldn’t manage the same weight after two tries.
Schott took an extraordinary jump from a miss at 117 to a make at 123 on her second lift. Said brought the bar to 125 kilograms, which spurred Nigeria to 127. Said withdrew from the competition before taking her final attempt.
Athletes leapfrogged 130 kilos and clustered at 131; Toma was the first to take the plunge but failed her jerk. Schott jumped from 123 to 131 to stay in the conversation for a medal, but the jerk buried her. Eze reclaimed her confidence to hit 131 on her final attempt — she celebrated by removing her weightlifting shoes and setting them on the platform, a common gesture for a weightlifter signaling retirement.
Fegue opened unsuccessfully at 132 kilograms. Chen was good for one kilo more on her own opener, though she took plenty of time on stage to let the arena settle down before lifting. Toma repeated her first error, failing to jerk 133 similarly to her opener — Fegue hit the same weight correctly for a good lift.
According to the commentators, Toma’s final attempt at 134 kilograms was “this or nothing.” It was nothing; she stumbled for the third time and bombed out. Valodzka broke the curse of recently missed lifts and hit 135 on her opener.
Palacios-Dajomes walked her 135-kilogram opener but was given the lift. She came out again for 138; another make. Out came Fegue for 138 as her final lift. She was given loud applause and encouragement from the stands, but it wasn’t enough to help her stand up the bar.
Chen, again, for 139 on her second attempt, struggled to rack the bar and dropped it. Reeves opened last and made light work of 140 kilograms, likely securing her the gold medal. Sanchez hadn’t been seen for some time but emerged to match Reeves at 140, though she likely could not pass her for gold.
Palacios-Dajomes also claimed 140 on her last attempt, conceding a non-gold-medal finish. In a desperate bid for a medal, Chen nearly had a 140-kilogram jerk of her own but sent the bar flying off the platform.
Valodzka called 142 to snipe bronze but missed. Sanchez boldly clean & jerked 145 kilograms to pull ahead of Palacios-Dajomes for silver, while Reeves narrowly missed 150 kilograms for another Olympic record.
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2024 Olympics Weightlifting Schedule
Weightlifting events will be held at the 2024 Olympics from Aug. 7 to Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. Catch all the action live by referring to the full schedule below. All times are in Eastern Standard Time and are subject to change:
Wednesday, August 7
- 9:00 AM: Men’s 61KG
- 1:30 PM: Women’s 49KG
Thursday, August 8
- 9:00 AM: Women’s 59KG
- 1:30 PM: Men’s 73KG
Friday, August 9
- 9:00 AM: Men’s 89KG
- 1:30 PM: Women’s 71KG
Saturday, August 10
- 5:30 AM: Men’s 102KG
- 10:00 AM: Women’s 81KG
- 2:30 PM: Men’s +102KG
Sunday, August 11
- 5:30 AM: Women’s +81KG
More 2024 Olympics Content on BarBend
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- These “Banned” Countries Have Struggled To Send Athletes to the 2024 Olympics
Featured Image: USA Weightlifting