Wednesday 15 / January / 2025
Muscat: Ahmed Al Habsi did Oman proud by winning the country’s first world championship gold medal when he took top honours in the 50kg competition at the IWF Youth World Championships organised in Penang, Malaysia from October 19 to 25.
The Omani took the gold in the 50kg clean and jerk competition with a lift of 120kgs in his third attempt.
The silver went to Colombian Jairo Luis (117 kgs) and Vietnam’s Quoc Bao Le Nguyun (116) settled for the bronze medal.
Earlier in the snatch competition, Ahmed Al Habsi finished fifth after lifting 88kgs in his second attempt.
In his third attempt, Al Habsi went for 91kgs but his failed attempt meant the Omani also narrowly missed out on a medal in the overall (total) category.
Ahmed finished fourth with his combined lifts accounting for 204kgs, just one kilo less than the third placed Jairo Luis.
The gold medal went to Quoc Bao (211) and silver to Thailand’s Natthawat Chomchuen (211).
Hero's welcome
On his return home on Wednesday, Ahmed Al Habsi was given a warm welcome by the Ministry of Sports Affairs officials and Oman weightlifting fans.
The history-making weightlifter was received at the Muscat International Airport by Khalifa bin Saif Al Issayie, Director General at the Ministry of Sports Affairs, and Hamza bin Ali, Director of Public Relations and Media.
