Mari Leivis Sánchez wins silver medal at the Olympic Games

In a day full of emotions for Colombian weightlifting, Mari Leivis Sánchez took second place in the women’s 71kg category at the Paris 2024 Olympic GamesHis feat came just two hours after the outstanding performance of Yeison López, who had won the silver medal in the men’s 89 kg category, marking a historic day for Colombian weightlifting.

The weightlifter, originally from Turbo, Antioquiamade her Olympic debut in a less noisy environment compared to the limelight of her teammates, but with a determination that soon placed her at the top of the competition. In the snatch event, she firmly lifted 112 kilograms, which placed her in the top positions despite an error in one of her attempts, quickly corrected.

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In the second event, the clean and jerk, the competition became more competitive. The Antioquian started with an effective lift of 132 kilograms and then surpassed 140 kilograms, thus securing a safe position for the bronze medal. However, Sánchez did not stop there. To overcome Ecuadorian Angie Paola Palacios, who had added 256 kilograms between the two events, she needed to lift 145 kilograms. With a tight but effective execution, Mari Leivis achieved her goal, adding another silver medal for Colombia in what has been one of the most glorious days of these Olympic Games.

This medal represents the eleventh medal in the Olympic history of weightlifting for Colombia. Since the gold won by María Isabel Urrutia at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, the discipline has proven to be a constant pillar in the Colombian medal table, with at least one medal in each edition of the 21st century.

The achievement of the Antioquian comes as a balm for the Colombian team, which had experienced bitter disappointment on Thursday with the performances of Yenny Álvarez and Luis Javier Mosquera, who were close to the podium. The tears of regret of that day gave way to renewed joy with the victories of Yeison López and Mari Leivis, who add to the bronze medal obtained by the gymnast Ángel Barajas at the beginning of the week.