C'wealth Games: Ghana wins first gold

...Angry Ghana officials lash out
Angry Ghana weightlifting officials lashed out at organisers today after their lifter almost missed out on the Commonwealth Games gold medal after a bizarre mixup.

Majeti Fetrie lifted a total of 309kg to take Ghana's first ever weightlifting title, 1kg better than India's Mohammed Asdullah and 10kg clear of Muhammad Irfan of Pakistan.

But the 31-year-old almost threw away his moment of history. He successfully heaved 175kg in the clean-and-jerk but his lift was overruled by the judges because he had been timed out.

As the Ghana team desperately argued on the sidelines, Asdullah had the chance to snatch the gold if he could clear 176kg.

However, it was beyond the 25-year-old soldier and Fetrie's stunned appearance was quickly replaced by a smile as the Indian lifter dropped the bar to the ground.

Despite Fetrie winning, Ghana Weightlifting Federation president Johnson Aboagye was fuming.

He said Fetrie missed his last attempt because he wanted to raise the bar to try to break the Games record but was turned down by officials.

"We will not and will never agree with such situations," Aboagye said.

"This is the last time we are protesting, next time we go and this happens that will be our last time of competing in any such Games.

"I'm not happy with the way this competition has been organised." But president of the jury, Canadian Philippe Saint Cyr, said the Ghana team had missed the 30-second limit for changing the weight.

"If you come with five seconds to go and say 'I want to raise it', it's too late, 29 seconds is too late," he said. "The rules are quite clear.

"That's the first time I've seen a protest when you get a gold medal. You get a gold medal, you go away, let's be happy." The competition had already got off to a shock start when Nauru's Yukio Peter, the overwhelming favourite failed to lift 140kg in the snatch division and was eliminated.
Peter, the highest-ranked lifter in the entire Commonwealth Games competition, won a shock silver medal at the world championships in November in Qatar.
He dropped the bar on his first attempt and missed the second lift because he was receiving treatment for the ensuing injury. As a result, he was not ready for the third and final lift.
"Cramps, mate," said Peter's coach, Paul Coffa trying to explain his man's disastrous day.
"Best lifter in the competition but cramps, that's all it was."

...Angry Ghana officials lash out
Angry Ghana weightlifting officials lashed out at organisers today after their lifter almost missed out on the Commonwealth Games gold medal after a bizarre mixup.

Majeti Fetrie lifted a total of 309kg to take Ghana's first ever weightlifting title, 1kg better than India's Mohammed Asdullah and 10kg clear of Muhammad Irfan of Pakistan.

But the 31-year-old almost threw away his moment of history. He successfully heaved 175kg in the clean-and-jerk but his lift was overruled by the judges because he had been timed out.

As the Ghana team desperately argued on the sidelines, Asdullah had the chance to snatch the gold if he could clear 176kg.

However, it was beyond the 25-year-old soldier and Fetrie's stunned appearance was quickly replaced by a smile as the Indian lifter dropped the bar to the ground.

Despite Fetrie winning, Ghana Weightlifting Federation president Johnson Aboagye was fuming.

He said Fetrie missed his last attempt because he wanted to raise the bar to try to break the Games record but was turned down by officials.

"We will not and will never agree with such situations," Aboagye said.

"This is the last time we are protesting, next time we go and this happens that will be our last time of competing in any such Games.

"I'm not happy with the way this competition has been organised." But president of the jury, Canadian Philippe Saint Cyr, said the Ghana team had missed the 30-second limit for changing the weight.

"If you come with five seconds to go and say 'I want to raise it', it's too late, 29 seconds is too late," he said. "The rules are quite clear.

"That's the first time I've seen a protest when you get a gold medal. You get a gold medal, you go away, let's be happy." The competition had already got off to a shock start when Nauru's Yukio Peter, the overwhelming favourite failed to lift 140kg in the snatch division and was eliminated.
Peter, the highest-ranked lifter in the entire Commonwealth Games competition, won a shock silver medal at the world championships in November in Qatar.
He dropped the bar on his first attempt and missed the second lift because he was receiving treatment for the ensuing injury. As a result, he was not ready for the third and final lift.
"Cramps, mate," said Peter's coach, Paul Coffa trying to explain his man's disastrous day.
"Best lifter in the competition but cramps, that's all it was."