Five local lifters ranked worldwide |22 July 2004

Thélermont 12th

Of the five lifters, former Sportslady of the Year Thélermont is ranked the highest – 12th – in the 69-kg division.
Thélermont won three medals – one gold (clean and jerk – 130kg) and two silver (snatch – 95kg, plus Olympic total – 225kg) –  at the African Weightlifting Championship in Tunisia, in May.
In Africa, Thélermont is ranked second behind 10th-placed Cameroonian Madeleine Yamechi whose Olympic total is 230kg – 102.5kg in the snatch and 127.5kg in the clean and jerk.
Chinese Liu Chunhong leads the 62-lifter world ranking with an Olympic total of 270kg – 117.5kg in the snatch and 152.5kg in the clean and jerk.
Pawina Thongsuk of Thailand (262.5kg) and Turkish Sibel Simsek (247.5kg) are second and third respectively.
"I'm happy and proud that I feature in the top-12 of the 69-kg category worldwide. I'm doubly proud because I have to make time after long working hours to train. This means, that if my training programme improves and I get more hours to lift the barbells, I will certainly reach the top-10," said 25-year-old Thélermont.

Matatiken 38th

In the women's lightest division – 48-kg – Julie Matatiken, winner of one silver (snatch – 60kg) and two bronze (clean and jerk – 70kg, and Olympic total – 130kg) at the African Championship, is ranked 38th worldwide among 55 lifters.
Matatiken's performances rank her fourth in Africa behind Egyptian Enga Sayed (18th worldwide with a total of 160kg – 72.5kg in the snatch and 87.5kg in the clean and jerk), South African Portia Vries (30th worldwide with a total of 150kg) and Algerian Dalla Acheria (36th worldwide with a total of 137.5kg).
Another Chinese, Zhuo Li heads the 48-kg category with a total of 205kg – 90kg in the snatch and 115kg in the clean and jerk.
Li is followed in second place by compatriot We Gao with a total of 200kg and in third position by Malaysian Aye Khine Nan with 190kg.
"I'm very happy to learn that I'm ranked 38th worldwide. There is room for improvement, but knowing that I'm ranked will surely boost my confidence for other international competitions. Furthermore, to improve further in this sport, we need more support", said 24-year-old Matatiken

Agricole 43rd

Triple gold medallist of the 53-kg junior division and winner of another three medals – two silver (snatch – 65kg and Olympic total – 147.5kg) and a bronze (clean and jerk – 82.5kg) – in the senior category of the African Championship, Clementina Agricole finds herself in 43rd position in the world ranking.
Unable to be reached for comments, 15-year-old Agricole is currently ranked second in Africa behind 38th-placed Tunisian Loban Maatoug with a  total of 152.5kg – 67.5kg in the snatch and 85kg in the clean and jerk.
Junpim Kuntatean of Thailand leads the 68-lifter ranking with a total of 222.5kg – 97.5kg in the snatch and 125kg in the clean and jerk.
Chinese Jianying (220kg) and Udomporn Polsak of Thailand (210kg) are second and third.

Scheer 49th

In the men's 85-kg division, France-based Richard Scheer holds 49th place among 104 ranked lifters.
Snatch gold medallist of the African Championship with a best effort of 150kg, Scheer totals 325kg.
Chinese Aijun Yuan, with 380kg – 170kg in the snatch and 210kg in the clean and jerk, leads the ranking in the 85-kg category. He is followed in second place by Turkish Izzet Ince (also with 380kg) and in third position by Russian Zaur Takhushev (377.5kg).

Baccus 49th

Sportsman of the Year Steven Baccus, double bronze medallist – 180kg in the clean and jerk and 327.5kg in the Olympic total – at the African Championship, is also in 49th position out of 93 lifters in the 94-kg division.
Egyptian Moez Hannachi is the highest ranked African lifter and is 28th worldwide with a total of 355kg – 170kg in the snatch and 185kg in the clean and jerk.
Unfortunately, Baccus could not be reached for comments as he is currently in France.

G. G.