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RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea claimed their first Olympic gold medal at the Rio Games on Friday, thanks to their weightlifters.
Iran's Kianoush Rostami broke a world record he set two years ago to claim a sensational victory in the men's 85kg category.
Rostami scored highest in the snatch with 179kg, but was being tailed by Tian Tao of China, who sat just 1kg behind. Then a pressure-packed clean and jerk round saw both Rostami and Tian fail on their first attempts and a classic run to gold medal unfold.
After two failed lifts Tian went all-or-nothing with his final lift to break the Olympic clean and jerk record of 215kg with his lift of 217kg. The effort also matched the world total record of 395kg which Rostami set in 2016.
Rostami had to match or beat it with his final lift, which he did. His 217kg lift took his total to 396kg, breaking the world record by 1kg and delivering Iran its first medal of Rio 2016.
"I am very happy with the first gold. It sets us up for a good competition. After me the team can get more medals," Rostami said.
"I wasn't thinking I was going to win. Sometimes the weights change and sometimes the bodies change. If I have more time in the future I will set more Olympic records and more world records," he added.
Tian, the Asian Games winner in 2014, only succeeded in every last attempt both in the snatch and jerk.
"It's OK. I didn't really take my chances. I am a little bit disappointed. Tonight I had confidence in my final lift," said Tian.
"He (Tian) is young and he can do good results. I am trying very hard and I know other Chinese lifters, not only Tian Tao, who will try to push me. But really I only push myself," Rostami said.
Earlier on Friday, Rim Jong Sim of the DPR Korea triumphed in the women's 75kg, becoming the first woman to win in both 69kg and 75kg at the Olympics.
She started her account by lifting more with her first snatch attempt (117kg) than the rest of the field managed with their three. She then missed her first attempt at 121kg before nailing it with her third to march into the clean and jerk with a 5kg advantage over the eventual silver and bronze medalist Darya Naumava of Belarus and Lidia Valentin Perez of Spain.
"I just tried really hard. I was really overwhelmed with happiness that I won this gold medal so I can send this honor to my Leader," said Rim, who claimed the 69kg title in London 2012.
