Koanda worked as an electrician until 2022, but cut his job to focus on weightlifting full time. It has resulted in EC gold, WC gold and now Olympic gold. – I feel like a goddess, she told news shortly afterwards. But the remuneration for the gold winner has not exactly been divine. After the gold, she was asked if she would now become an electrician again. – Maybe, I don’t know. I may have to sell the gold medal to finance the investment towards the Olympics in 2028, but we’ll see, Koanda said according to the Olympic organizer. TÅREVÅTT: Solfrid Koanda proudly poses with the gold medal, which may have to be sold. Photo: Reuters Koanda tells news that she does not exactly live the luxurious life as the world’s strongest weightlifter. – We have not had it easy. Norway is a small weightlifting nation and we have a small team, but it feels fantastic to see that we have been creative and worked with everything we have, says Koanda to news. – It has been a demanding few years. There has been a bit of uncertainty and not really too many resources, but we have used the resources we have at our disposal well. We have had a good team around her, says president of the weightlifting association Stian Grimseth. He tells of a lightning-fast path to the top of the world from an electrician’s job to Olympic gold. – It is clear that there is also a lot of pressure, for someone who has not really been involved in weightlifting, for her to take part in the NM, and suddenly she is world champion. It has gone very fast. Most athletes are allowed to mature a little over time, but she hasn’t had time for that. Tried for a world record When all the competitors had finished lifting, the Norwegian weightlifter tried to set a world record to top the demonstration of power. She couldn’t do that. – Then I thought I let the gold slip, says Koanda to news. It was only a few seconds later that she realized what had just happened. – I just wanted to ask the coaches about “what will be the position?”, says Koanda. Then she was told that the gold was already in a box. She reacted with disbelief, tears and howls. TV cameras were on her for many minutes after she received the gold notice, and she spoke to the camera, embraced support equipment, held her head and let the tears roll. – What the f…!? Koanda told the TV cameras. Then says Stian Grimseth, president of the weightlifting association: – You have won! – Oh, my God, answers Koanda, before she delivers a real roar of victory: – JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! – I turned to the coaching staff and didn’t get the last lift, and then they say I’ve won. There were so many emotions that burst. I thought “don’t mess with it now, don’t mess with me”, says Koanda to news. – It was really big, then. Results: Solfrid Koanda, Norway, 275 kilos Sara Ahmed, Egypt, 268 kilos Neisi Dajomes, Ecuador, 267 kilos Extreme nerves During the Olympics in Paris, you could see the nerves give way already after the first lift. While several of the competitors struggled to get the barbell over their heads, the Norwegian hope stood rock-solid with 117 kilos in her arms. Later she lifted 121 kilos, and took her first jaf on her way to gold. In her last attempt, she tried her hand at 124 kilograms, which would have been an Olympic record in the jerk. RECORD ATTEMPT: This is how the attempt at the Olympic record in jerks ended. Stanga ended up a little far behind, and Koanda plunged forward. Photo: Dita Alangkara / AP Thus the result list looked like this after moves: Neisi Dajomes, Ecuador 122 kilos Solfrid Koanda, Norway 121 kilos Sara Ahmed, Egypt, 117 kilos In shock she started last of all, and while the competitors showed signs of weakness, Koanda stood firm as a Norwegian mountain with 148 kilos. Dajomes tried to match the Norwegian gold winner, but collapsed in the attempt. Later, Koanda lifted 154 kilos, the most of all, and it was enough for a superb Olympic gold. Discovered by chance, Koanda clapped his hands, clenched his fist, hugged the Norwegian support apparatus and cheered all the way into the warm-up room behind the arena after the successful attempts. STRONG: Solfrid Koanda delivered heavy lifts in the Olympic final. Photo: Amanda Perobelli / Reuters That Koanda takes gold is quite sensational, four years after she was accidentally discovered. Koanda did cross training, and received advice from a trainer to start weightlifting. A couple of days later she qualified for the NM, and after that things really took off. – An extreme journey, summarizes Stian Grimseth. The last time Norway took Olympic gold in weightlifting was in 1972, when Leif Jenssen won in the light heavyweight class in Munich. GOLD: Leif Jenssen won Olympic gold in Munich in 1972. Photo: NTB Published 10.08.2024, at 18.10 Updated 10.08.2024, at 21.07
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Solfrid Koanda won Olympic gold in weightlifting – Olympics Paris 2024
