PARIS: Bulgarian Karlos Nasar became the lightest man to lift 400 kilogrammes in competition as he shattered the men's 89kg weightlifting world record at the Olympics on Friday.
"The Olympic Games are like going into space for me and I feel like I'm on Mars," said the 20-year-old Nasar.
In the women's 71kg competition, 21-year-old American Olivia Reeves lifted a total 262kg to win by 5kg. Colombian Mari Sanchez took second with her last lift, edging past Ecuadorian Angie Palacios by 1kg.
Nasar was tied for first after lifting 180kg in the opening snatch round. The 20-year-old then delayed his entry in the clean and jerk until most of his rivals had used their three attempts at lower weights.
With his first lift he flipped 213 kilogrammes over his head to secure the gold.
That left him two attempts to total 400kg and he opted to aim high.
Nasar seemed barely troubled. Pausing an extra beat with the bar on his chest, he grinned, before hoisting a world record 224kg over his head for a total of 404kg, another record.
Nasar has reportedly lifted even greater weights in training.
"I have visualised the win many times and I succeeded each time," he said.
When asked if he was playing to the camera, Nasar grinned.
"Sometimes the emotions that I show, I cannot control," he said. "Sometimes I don't even remember what happened on the stage."
Colombian Yeison Lopez was second on 390kg. Italian Antonino Pizzolato scored a dramatic bronze after failing on his first two attempts before he was only spared a no-score when judges upheld his appeal after a video review
In the evening, Reeves was in control throughout her competition but wept on the podium.
"I've heard the national anthem before. I've been on the podium before but this is the Olympics," she said.
The United States is the third-most succesful Olympic weightlifting nations, but Reeves was the first American weightlifting gold since Tara Nott in Sydney in 2000.
She will be the face of the sport in the US in the run up to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
"I'm proud to have that role," she said.
Meanwhile, Nasar, who set his first world record at 17, could be the charismatic bad boy a sport that has long struggled with a negative image as a playground for dopers, needs to generate more favourable interest globally.
The talk at Nasar's press conference rapidly turned to his romantic life.
Nasar said he would be heading to the rhythmic gymnastics on Saturday to support the Bulgarian team and his girlfriend Magdalina Minevska.
In 2022, he was arrested in a Bulgarian beach resort and the following February received a suspended prison sentence for driving under the influence of recreational drugs and without a licence and trying to evade arrest.
In May last year, he reached for the soap while showering in a Sofia hotel, dislodging the sink which shattered slicing one of his Achilles' tendons. He required surgery.
"Every single movement is painful," he said at the time. "It's hard to even brush my teeth and open my eyes." - AFP