USA’s Hampton Morris Wins Olympic Bronze in Weightlifting

Big news in the world of sports! The United States has finally claimed its first men’s weightlifting medal in 40 years, thanks to 20-year-old Hampton Morris from Marietta, Georgia. Morris lifted his way to a bronze medal in the men’s 61kg final.

During the competition, Morris snatched an impressive 126kg and followed it up with a clean and jerk lift of 172kg, which tied the Olympic record. His total lift weight was 298kg, earning him a spot on the podium!

This historic win makes Morris the first American man to win an Olympic weightlifting medal since Guy Carlton brought home bronze in the 110kg weight class during the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. Plus, he’s the youngest U.S. men’s weightlifting medalist since 1956!

In the heavy competition, Thailand’s Theerapong Silachai took the silver medal, while the gold went to Li Fabin of China, who successfully defended his Olympic title with a total lift of 310kg.

The competition was intense, with five athletes failing to complete their lifts, including four-time Olympic medalist Eko Irawan. Morris, however, was determined and managed to pull through after a shaky start.

Feeling very excited to be there, Morris made his first snatch lift at 122kg, which gave him a huge confidence boost. “I felt relieved that I made it,” he said after the lift, referring to how he bombed out during the 2023 World Championships.

Things got a bit tricky during the clean and jerk. On his first attempt at 168kg, Morris slipped and missed the lift. Frustrated, but not defeated, he pushed himself and nailed his next lift at 172kg, putting him firmly in third place.

While Morris aimed for a personal best and world record of 178kg for his final lift, he couldn’t stabilize it overhead. But he still had an amazing celebration with his father, who also coaches him!

With this performance, Morris steps into the spotlight as the face of American men’s weightlifting. There’s a lot of buzz around him, especially considering the 2028 Olympics are just around the corner!