Mohd Hafifi delivers our first gold
Published on: Monday, July 28, 2014
GLASGOW: Mohd Hafifi Mansor clinched the first gold medal for Malaysia at the 20th Commonwealth Games in the men's weightlifting 69kg category Saturday. Mohd Hafifi, 24, lifted a total 305kg - 135kg in the Snatch and 170kg in the Clean and Jerk in the final at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre Precint here.The silver was won by Yinka Ayenuwa of Nigeria who lifted 302kg overall while Omkar Otari of India had to settle for the bronze with 296kg.
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Another national weightlifter Mohammad Huzairi Ramli finished in fifth place with a total lift of 290kg.Mohd Hafifi attributed his victory to patience and instructions from his coach who did not want him to engage in psychological warfare with his opponents."Initially I got riled up when the Nigerian went for 176kg in the clean and jerk. I wanted to surpass him but my coach forbade me from doing so. "This was because he knew it was just an attempt at psychological warfare and he asked me to be patient. The result is the gold belongs to us," he told reporters afterwards.
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Mohd Hafifi also took the opportunity to thank Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and fans for their support through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. "I dedicate this gold medal to my mother (Norizam Embong) back home in Kuala Terengganu. Each time I made a lift, I will say her name.
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Thank you mum for always supporting and praying for me," he said. He added that he planned to help out his family with the RM80,000 incentive to be awarded to him for winning the gold medal."I want to use the money to help my mother buy a house in Kuala Terengganu," he said. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak congratulated Mohd Hafifi for having won the first gold medal for Malaysia at the ongoing 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. Najib said he hoped that Mohd Hafifi's success would spur the other Malaysian athletes to excel as well. "Syabas @keteng77 on the first gold medal for Malaysia at #Glasgow2014!. Hopefully, this will raise the spirit of our contingent," Najib said in a post on his Twitter account. Meanwhile, Malaysia got off to a winning start in the 29th Commonwealth Games men's hockey competition by defeating Canada 2-0 in Group B here Saturday.In the match at the Glasgow National Hockey Stadium. Malaysia's first goal was netted by Ahmad Kazamirul Nasruddin in the 14th minute.Stunned by the deficit, Canada piled on the pressure but the Malaysian defence were solid in deflecting the attacks. Malaysia's second goal by Izwan Firdaus Ahmad Tajuddin in the 68 minute sealed victory and three full points. The other teams in group B are New Zealand, England and Trinidad & Tobago.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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