RIBOUEM, LINDBECK ADD TO AUSTRALIA’S MEDAL TALLY AT OCEANIAS Australian weightlifter Simplice Ribouem has been pipped for gold at the Oceania Championships in New Caledonia. The 31-year-old Commonwealth Gold medalist had his colours lowered by Papua New Guinea’s Steven Kakuna Kari in the 94kg class, despite a much stronger snatch section. And Canberra’s Kylie Lindbeck added a bronze to the Australian medal collection after a strong performance in the 75kg class. Ribouem, from Melbourne, snatched a total of 152, six kilograms more than Kari, but couldn’t match the Papua New Guinean in the clean and jerk. Although Cameroon-born Ribouem had three successful clean and jerks, his 197kgs and 349kg total could not match Kari’s 204kg clean and jerk and 350kg total. Ribouem was one of three Cameroon weightlifters who sought asylum in Australia after the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. Last night another of the trio, Francois Etoundi, won gold in the 77kg division. Ribouem won gold for Australia in the 85kg division at the 2010 Commonwealath Games in Delhi, and will be defending his medal in Glasgow in July. Etoundi also competed in Delhi but suffered a serious elbow injury that forced him to withdraw from competition. Etoundi has also been selected to lift for Australian in Glasgow. The progress of 29-year-old Lindbeck continues to excite Australian weightlifting officials. Still a relative newcomer to the sport, Lindbeck had six perfect lifts in New Caledonia, to finish with 92kg in the snatch and 108kg in the clean and jerk, for a total of 200kg. “She’s very consistent,” team manager Rob Mitchell said. “She doesn’t really know how strong she is.” The Oceania Championships continue in New Caledonia tomorrow.
Posted on: Fri, 30 May 2014 11:18:20 +0000
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