GLASGOW: Mohd Hafifi Mansor clinched the first gold medal for Malaysia at the 20th Commonwealth Games in the men’s weighlifting 69kg category Saturday.
Mohd Hafifi, 24, lifted a total 305kg – 135kg in the Snatch and 170kg in the Clean and Jerk in the final at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre Precint here.
The silver was won by Yinka Ayenuwa of Nigeria who lifted 302kg overall while Omkar Otari of India had to settle for the bronze with 296kg.
Another national weightlifter Mohammad Huzairi Ramli finished in fifth place with a total lift of 290kg.
Mohd Hafifi attributed his victory to patience and instructions from his coach who did not want him to engage in psychological warfare with his opponents.
“Initially I got riled up when the Nigerian went for 176kg in the clean and jerk. I wanted to surpass him but my coach forbade me from doing so. “This was because he knew it was just an attempt at pyschological warfare and he asked me to be patient. The result is the gold belongs to us,” he told reporters afterwards.
Mohd Hafifi also took the opportunity to thank Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and fans for their support through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
“I dedicate this gold medal to my mother (Norizam Embong) back home in Kuala Terengganu. Each time I made a lift, I will say her name. Thank you mum for always supporting and praying for me,” he said. — Bernama