Weightlifting wonder: Rim plays through pain to finish second

Olympic champion refuses to let injuries stop her from securing podium finish

HOUSTON: Olympic gold medallist Rim Jong-Sim ignored her doctor’s advice and a painful hip injury to finish second in dramatic fashion in the women’s 75kg category at the World Weightlifting Championships on Friday.

The 22-year-old from North Korea battled through the pain of knee, left hip and a muscle injury, collapsing three times on stage before finishing second to winner Kang Yue of China.

Rim had to be helped onto the podium by Kang and bronze medal winner Olga Zubova where she received her medal and was then helped backstage before being rushed to the hospital on a stretcher. “It was an honour to compete against her,” remarked Russia’s Zubova. “She is a hero.”

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Rim, who will now drop back to 69kg to try and defend her Olympic title next year in Brazil, injured herself while attempting her third snatch. She was taken backstage where an International Weightlifting Federation doctor advised her to withdraw. But she refused, coming back to a loud cheer at the George R Brown Convention Centre for a 150kg clean and jerk lift, which she made before collapsing.

Rim hobbled off the stage, but returned again to a standing ovation while she made a successful attempt at 155kg before collapsing again. Her attempt at 157kg failed and she collapsed once more. “That took a huge amount of courage,” said American Jenny Arthur, who finished eighth. Defending champion Nadezhda Evstyukhina of Russia completed just three lifts and finished off the podium.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2015.

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