Maude Charron gave up on the World Weightlifting Championships in September due to a knee injury. None of that appeared on Sunday when she returned to action at the Pan American Games, winning the 59kg silver medal.
The Quebecer was in her second Pan American Games. She placed fourth in Lima, two years before becoming Olympic champion at 64 kg. She then made the jump to 59 kg when her category was removed from the program for the Paris Games.
If Charron was not bothered by her knee in Santiago, it is in particular because she limited herself in her loads.
“The important thing is to be in good shape next year. I came here with lower bars to make sure I passed all the tests. I was a bit stubborn [with the coach]! I needed to compete whether the knee was ready or not. I needed challenges, but it’s not a competition that counts for Olympic qualification,” she summarized to Sportcom in the mixed zone, silver medal around her neck and maple leaf flag on her shoulders. shoulders.
His first attempt at the snatch changed a few times before being set at 95kg. A charge that she raised without much difficulty under the watchful eye of the head of mission Christine Girard present in the stands.
The three weightlifters among the world’s top 10 in the category, Maude Charron, Colombian Yenny Alvarez and Mexican Janeth Gomez, adjusted their bars one after the other. Colombian Conception Usuga and Venezuelan Anyelin Venegas joined the hot potato game afterwards.
“We had a different tactic following the progress of the competition. Usually I have my three tries in mind, no matter what happens. We took the opportunity to try something different,” Charron said.
Commonwealth Games gold medalist, the Rimouski athlete easily lifted 101 kg in her third round. So easily that she scampered off the platform. Alvarez, who placed fifth at the worlds, was last to go and took the lead by landing 102kg
In the clean and jerk, Maude Charron’s first two attempts, carried out at 115 and 120 kg, were only a formality. She concluded the competition with a lift of 125kg and left with a smile as she waved to the crowd.
“I was really looking forward to it! “, she confirmed. She had not competed since April at the Canadian Championships.
“I had a tough eight months with my injury and had to skip events. A tendon is fine one day, the other not. My morale varies depending on my strength and when it falls on a bad day, it’s a shame and my confidence goes down a little. The Pan American Games medal is the only one I was missing! »
Yanny Alvarez continued his momentum by lifting 126 kg and captured the gold medal. Anyelin Venegas tried to edge Charron at the very end, but failed at 127kg to finish on the third step of the podium.
Alex Bellemarre fought until the very end for a place on the 89kg podium. He ultimately came up short by just one kilogram.
Like Maude Charron, Bellemarre wanted to test an injury during her stay in the Chilean capital. He injured his elbow just before the World Championships, where he finished 15th. The Pan American Games came very close to being removed from its calendar.
“We decided to take part in it and see where my elbow was at. It was the first time I had such a big injury. It was a kind of learning experience on how to come back quickly without pushing too much,” he confided.
His first two appearances in the snatch were successful. He was thrown off balance to the right on his third attempt, measured at 165kg, but stabilized in time to receive the judges’ nod. The Quebecer then dropped the bar by shouting “come on!” » well felt, right fist in the air. He temporarily occupied third place.
His first attempt at the clean and jerk was initially successful, but the judges revised their decision and refused the lift. When he tried a second time, he held the bar above his head a little longer to leave no doubt. Bellemarre concluded her day by successfully lifting 191kg.
“I wanted to enjoy the present moment! I sang, I fooled around with the coaches. It was a competition with less waiting and it was fun to have less pressure! » he stressed.
The bronze medalist of the last World Championships, the Venezuelan Keydomar Vallenilla, won gold with a cumulative of 383 kg, composed of a 177 kg in the snatch and a 211 kg in the clean and jerk. Already assured of gold, he gave up his third clean and jerk. The Colombian Yeison Lopez, who took part in the worlds in the 96 kg category, received silver, author of a total of 380 kg, i.e. 177 kg in the snatch and 205 kg in the clean and jerk. Cuban Olfides Saez finished third at 357kg
The weightlifters will now prepare for the Qatar Grand Prix, scheduled for December. The results will then count towards the rankings in the Olympic qualification process.
