Gaigysyz Torayev from Turkmenistan won three silver medals in snatch, clean and jerk and the sum of the two-weight class at the World Junior Weightlifting Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The third-year student of the Turkmen State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports achieved this success in the non-Olympic weight category up to 81 kg, in which 18 athletes fought for medals.
In the sum of two exercises Gaigysyz Torayev scored 335 kg (snatch - 151 kg, clean and jerk - 184 kg) - 8 kg less than at the September World Championships in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), where he won a bronze medal in the snatch (193 kg), and took 6th place in the combined (343 kg). Thus, in the final protocol our compatriot was 2 kg ahead of bronze medalist Saba Asanidze (Georgia) - 333 kg (149 + 184) and only 1 kg behind the winner Yedige Yemberdi (Kazakhstan) - 336 kg (145 + 191).
This is not Gaigysyz's first success at international competitions. In June this year he won three silver medals in individual lifts and the combined total (319 kg) at the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Olympic Grand Prix qualifying tournament held in Havana (Cuba), and he was awarded gold in the clean and jerk (178 kg) and two silvers in the snatch (147 kg) and combined total (325 kg) at the Asian Junior Championships held in New Delhi (India) in July.
20-year-old master of sports Gaigysyz Toraev started weightlifting in Sakarchage etrap under the guidance of coach Shatlyk Durdyklychev. Currently, he is honing his skills with Mansur Rejepov, head coach of Turkmenistan's national team.
Turkmenistan is represented by 6 athletes (4 men and 2 women) at the World Junior Championships.
Perhat Bagtyyarov with the result of 270 kg (120 + 150) took 9th place among 14 athletes in the men's weight category up to 67 kg, and Gulyalek Kakamyradova with the sum of 181 kg (80 + 101) took 18th place in the women's weight category up to 64 kg.
Anamjan Rustamova (up to 81 kg), Resul Rejepov (up to 89 kg) and Shahzadbek Matyakubov (up to 96 kg) will compete in the remaining days of the tournament as part of the Turkmen national team.
The World Junior Weightlifting Championships will end in Guadalajara on November 23.
