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• Sports
• 07 / 17 / 2007

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 15." Midway through the contest the announcer said: "This is the most contested event so far." However, Cubas Yordanis Borrero came up with an important gold medal despite the threat of a new generation of weightlifters.

Combined with Sergio Alvarez victory in the 56 kg division on Saturday, Borrero, 69 kg division, surpassed his countrys poor showing at the 2003 Santo Domingo Games where Cuba only won one gold medal, his. Now, Cuba has its sights set on a possible two more gold medals in weightlifting.

Borreros winning lift was 176 kg bringing cheers from stands from his countrys athletes and Cuban sports glories like Teofilio Stevenson and Filiberto Azcuy.

The Cuban had begun with difficulty, taken advantage by Edwin Mosquera of Colombia who took the lead due to his lighter body weight and for an instant dreamed of a gold medal. "For a moment I thought I could return home with a gold medal, but Ive still have other times ahead," said Mosquera after recalling that he had also finished second to the Cuban at the ALBA Sports Games earlier in the year.

Borrero lifted a total of 317 kg. (141 in snatch and 176 in clean and jerk) Mosquera was second with 313 (141-172) and Ecuadorian Ricardo Flores took the bronze medal with 308 (138-170).

Source: Granma