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 silver medal in the 59 kg category.
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 little stubborn [avec l’entraîneur] ! 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 summed up 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 too much difficulty under the watchful eye of the head of mission Christine Girard present in the stands.
The three weightlifters included in the top 10 world champion in the category, Maude Charron, the Colombian Yenny Alvarez and the Mexican Janeth Gomez, adjusted their bar one after the other. Colombian Conception Usuga and Venezuelan Anyelin Venegas joined the hot potato game afterwards.
“We had a different tactic by 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 102 kg
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 load of 125 kg and left with a smile, waving 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 beat Charron at the very end, but failed at 127 kg to finish on the third step of the podium.
The Colombian is really strong, but now is not the time to beat her. I’m going to beat her later, when my knee is in good shape and in a competition that counts more!
Maude Charron
Bellemarre finishes one kilogram from the podium
Alex Bellemarre fought until the very end for a place on the 89 kg 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 took 15e rank. 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 how to come back quickly without pushing too much,” he confided.
His first two appearances in the snatch were successful. He was unbalanced to the right on his third attempt, measured at 165 kg, but stabilized in time to receive the judges’ approval. 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 to lift him. When he tried a second time, he held the bar above his head a little longer to leave no doubt. Bellemarre concluded his day by successfully lifting 191 kg.
“I wanted to appreciate 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 emphasized.
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 357 kg
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.