– An extraordinary lift. That’s what the commentator on WF TV said after Solfrid Koanda lifted 160 kilos. It was a total of 50 kilos more than second place in the EC in Sofia, Bulgaria on Monday. She thus defended all three golds from last year’s European Championships. – This is a phenomenal achievement by Solfrid and we are very pleased! The competition today is a very good step on the way to the Olympics in Paris. That is what the coaching team Stian Grimseth and Sindre Madsgaard say to the Weightlifting Association’s website. Solfrid Koanda on the victory podium where she received three EC gold medals. Photo: Screenshot WEIGHTLIFTING HOUSE TV Grimseth elaborates to news: – She is very stable physically and mentally. There is a lot of training, thoroughness and fearlessness behind this gold. In total, Koanda lifted 280 kilograms and with that is only 4 kilograms from the world record in the 87-kilogram class. The Chinese world record holder Xiaomei Liang will be Koanda’s biggest competitor in this summer’s Olympics in Paris. She lifted herself to four Norwegian and Nordic records, according to the Norwegian Weightlifting Association. When Solfrid Koanda lifted 120 kilos in a jerk after she had failed at 118 kilos. Photo: Skjerdump from Weightlifting House TV First lift The Golds took Koanda in the 87-kilogram class and in one move had a total of 13 kg down to second place in Bulgaria. During the evening’s competition, there were three simultaneous competitions. Gold was to be awarded in both the javelin, jerk and an overall title. On Monday evening, Koanda lifted 120 kilos in his third and final attempt in the jerk. Improved Nordic record She has improved all three of her Nordic records. She previously had a top record of 156 kilos in the deadlift. On Monday evening, she improved her personal record by four kilos. Her previous record was 272 kilos in total. In the past, she has won several EC and WC titles, most recently a WC gold from September. Has more in store When she competes in the Olympics next summer, she will have to drop down to the 81-kilogram class. – It is according to plan until the Olympics, says coach Stian Grimseth. He believes that Koanda still has five to ten kilos of improvement potential in the lead up to the Olympics, despite the fact that she has to compete in a weight class that is six kilos lighter than Monday’s EC competition. Koanda was nominated for female athlete of the year and name of the year at the Sports Gala in January. The 25-year-old is Olympic-qualified in the 81-kilogram class.
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Solfrid Koanda won the EC – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
