The 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, are upon us. With it comes the conclusion of a hard-fought, nearly two-year battle among the best 81-kilogram women in the world. For these light-heavyweight weightlifters, the Women’s 81-kilogram event on Aug. 10 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time was do-or-die.
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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 81KG Weightlifting
Glance at the entry list and you’ll see a fairly plain picture: Ecuador’s powerhouse (and Tokyo Olympic Champion) Neisi Dajomes leads the pack, but her victory isn’t assured as she faces stiff challenges from Sara Ahmed (Egypt), newcomer Solfrid Koanda (Norway), and Australia’s dark horse Eileen Cikamatana.
These four women have the best case for making it to the 81-kilogram podium, but nothing is certain, and athletes from Korea, Cuba, and Brazil are just as hungry for medals.
- Neisi Dajomes (ECU): 269
- Sara Ahmed (EGY): 268
- Solfrid Koanda (NOR): 266
- Eileen Cikamatana (AUS): 263
- Kim Suhyeon (KOR): 256
- Ayamey Medina (CUB): 254
- Laura Amaro (BRA): 253
- Yudelina Mejia Peguero (DOM): 252
- Ankhtsetseg Munkhjantsan (MGL): 243
- Rigina Adashbaeva (UZB): 243
- Weronika Zielinska (POL): 241, Reallocation
- Ajah Pritchard Lolo (VAN): Universality
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2024 Olympics Women’s 81KG Weightlifting Results
Women’s 81KG Podium
- Gold: Solfrid Koanda (NOR) — 275 (121/154) | Olympic Record Clean & Jerk, Total
- Silver: Sara Ahmed (EGY) — 268 (117/151)
- Bronze: Neisi Dajomes (ECU) — 267 (122/145)
Event Recap — Snatch
Vanuatu’s first weightlifter in Paris, Ajah Pritchard-Lolo, opened the Women’s 81-kilogram snatches with a good lift at 85 kilograms — a good omen for the first-time Olympian on her 22nd birthday. She would finish with 89 before anyone else came out.
Athletes from Cuba, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Poland, and refugee lifter Yekta Jamali opened around the 100-kilogram mark. The back half of the field continued to prepare backstage.
Brazil’s first-timer Laura Amaro emerged at the 105 mark, which she made successfully; Amaro is a former winter Olympian in the skeleton bobsled turned weightlifter. Poland’s Zielinska took her final snatch attempt buoyed by loud applause from the stadium as she was in danger of bombing out — she missed at 107, ending her Olympic run.
Kim Suhyeon of Korea, a long-shot medal contender, started with a make at 110. The jury opted to review the lift and invalidated Kim’s attempt. Amaro would have similarly poor luck at 110, missing it twice.
Prospective medalist Sara Ahmed turned out her easy opener at 113. She was trailed by Australia’s Eileen Cikamatana, who made the same weight to start her bid for the podium. Only Norway’s Solfrid Koanda and Ecuador’s 2020 Olympic Champion Neisi Dajomes had yet to appear.
Koanda stepped out first and decisively snatched 117 on her first attempt. Ahmed followed and matched, though she had to strut forward on the platform to stabilize the bar. After Cikamatana lifted the same weight on her second go, it looked like a dead heat.
Finally, Dajomes appeared and the crowd erupted noisily to welcome the Olympic Champion to the stage. She fumbled her opener at 118, but returned two minutes later to correct her mistake on her second attempt. Ahmed attempted to pass her by one, but was spat out the back at 119 on her last attempt.
Cikamatana strode out afterward, fearlessly, but missed the event’s first 120-kilogram snatch attempt on her third. Koanda looked on form, making 121 on her second try. Neck and neck, Dajomes equaled the Olympic record on her third attempt at 122.
Koanda took the last attempt of the snatch portion; a miss at 124.
Event Recap — Clean & Jerk
Poland’s Zielinska withdrew after bombing out in the snatch portion. Pritchard-Lolo began and ended her Paris journey at the front of the pack, finishing her clean & jerks with 108.
The bar then jumped to 120 and above for Mongolia’s Ankhtsetseg Munkhjantsan and Cuba’s Medina, while Uzbek Rigina Adashbaeva and refugee Jamali started in the mid-120s. Munkhjantsan opted out of her third clean & jerk.
Amaro broke the 130 barrier when she smoked her opener. Adashbaeva joined her while Amaro advanced with a 135-second attempt, showing more consistency than she had during the snatches. On the other hand, Ashbaeva failed her final attempt at 136 and left the stage with a wave.
Attendants fixed green plates to the bar for Kim’s first 140 attempt, which was a make. Amaro took 140 for a ride on her last lift and tried to stabilize the bar, but she wasn’t given the down signal in time. She left the stage smiling regardless.
Dajomes appeared earlier than expected for 145 and unexpectedly missed the jerk. Cikamatana followed and was successful at the same weight; Dajomes replicated her performance in the snatches and corrected her initial error with 145 on her second go.
Ahmed one-upped the previous two athletes by opening at 146 and was one-upped similarly by Kim, who made 147 — momentarily, until the jury overturned her effort, apparently citing arm movement overhead. She could not clean it on her final attempt, ending her Paris run.
Koanda was the final athlete to open, starting with an easy make at 148, which established a new Olympic record in the Total. Right after, Cikamatana failed 149 twice in a row. Backstage, Dajomes was seen failing a 150-kilogram clean & jerk as she stayed warm until her name was called next.
The Dominican Republic’s Mejia popped out for a crack at 150 and nearly had it but stumbled at the last moment. Incremental bumps continued when Ahmed took 151 on her second lift. Dajomes came out right after for her last lift of the Olympics — 151 — and fell unconscious before she could jerk it.
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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
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Featured Image: @atginsta / Instagram
