Indonesian weightlifter Eko Yuli Irawan competes in the men’s 61-kg event during the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh on May 13, 2023. Eko secured his fifth Olympic ticket, following a silver medal at the recent IWF World Cup. (AFP/Mohd Rasfan)
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ndonesian weightlifter Eko Yuli Irawan has secured his spot at the upcoming 2024 Olympics in Paris after winning a silver medal in the men's 61-kilogram category at the recent International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup 2024 in Phuket, Thailand.
Eko successfully lifted 133 kg in the snatch, surpassing Vietnam's lifter Nguyen Tran Anh Tuan, who ranked third with a total snatch lift of 132 kg. First place was claimed by China's prominent lifter, Li Fabin, with a total snatch lift of 146 kg.
Eko opted to limit his attempts due to a lingering left leg injury sustained during the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.
“I made a conscious decision to only attempt the first snatch lift of 133 kg and opted out of the second and third attempts. The same applied when I failed the first clean and jerk lift of 166 kg. Especially since I had already secured the 61 kg class ticket for the 2024 Paris Olympics,” Eko said on Tuesday, as quoted by cnnindonesia.com news website.
Despite undergoing treatment and recovery, his injury has been a persistent issue due to the packed schedule of competitions that had hindered his complete recovery.
“The left leg injury has received treatment, but the frequent competitions have prevented a full recovery,” he said.
“That is why I need to recover after finishing at the World Cup 2024, so I can contribute medals for the Indonesian contingent when competing in Paris.”
