Weightlifter gets Vietnam’s first gold medal at Youth Olympics

On the first day of the tournament, the 17-year-old athlete shone in the 56 kilogram men’s category, particularly in the snatch, with three successful lifts. He lifted 114kg in his third attempt.

In the clean and jerk discipline, Dinh managed lifts of 138 kilograms, 142 kilograms and 148 kilograms.

Dinh was followed by Thai weightlifter Natthawat Chomchuen, who succeeded with the 130 kilogram lift, but failed with the 148 and 154 kilogram weights. The bronze medal was won by Czech athlete Frantisek Polak with a total lift of 233 kilograms.

In April 2018, Dinh claimed the gold medal in the Asian Youth Championship in the 56 kilogram men’s category, with the total lift of 258 kilograms.

The 262 kilogram total lift is Dinh’s best record in an international tournament.

In the women’s 44 kilogram category, Nguyen Thu Trang secured a silver medal for Vietnam with a total lift of 147kg.

The Summer Youth Olympic Games is among the most prestigious sport tournaments organized every four years for athletes aged 14 to 18. This year, the event is being held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from October 6 to October 18 with the participation of 3,997 athletes from 206 countries and territories. The athletes are competing in 32 sports to claim a total of 241 medals.

The Vietnamese contingent of 13 athletes are participating in seven sports: track and field, swimming, gymnastics, weightlifting, badminton, taekwondo and rhythmic gymnastics.