2012 Olympics: North Korea's Om Yun Chol Wins Gold With Olympic Record In Men's 56kg Weightlifting

Published November 20, 2014

Om Yun Chol wasn't even supposed to be a medal contender in men's 56 kg weightlifting at the 2012 Olympics — that's why the North Korean lifter was in the "B" group that lifted first. And then he set an Olympic record and lifted three times his weight to win North Korea's second gold medal of the London Games.

Om lifted a total of 293 kilograms, but his clean and jerk of 168 kg set a new Olympic standard and tied an 11-year-old world record. It more than made up for his relatively unimpressive snatch (125 kg, just behind the leaders in the category), and gave Om the enviable position of sitting and watching the "A" group fail to top his result.

China's Wu Jingbiao won silver with a total of 289 kg, and Valentin Hristov of Azerbaijan finished in third with a total of 286 kg for bronze.

For complete coverage of the 2012 London Olympics, vist SB Nation's Summer Olympics hub.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012-olympics-north-koreas-om-yun-chol-wins-gold-with-olympic-record-in-mens-56kg-weightlifting