The Carchi native Tamara Salazar became Ecuador's best weightlifter during the three international tournaments organized by the Colombian Weightlifting Federation with the endorsement of the South American Confederation of this sport.
Salazar, who competed in the 87-kilogram division, failed to lift 95 kilograms on her first attempt. On her second try, she increased it to 100 kilograms, and when she had raised it to 105 kilograms for her third attempt, she failed again, so 100 kg remained as her best result.
In the clean and jerk, the national weightlifter had a better performance. She started with 125 kilograms on her first attempt, then increased it to 130 kilograms on the second lift, and finished with a successful lift of 135 kilograms.
The total Olympic allowed the Ecuadorian weightlifter to complete 235 kilograms, securing her third gold medal in the South American Championships, Ibero-American Championships, and Copa Colombia, totaling nine gold medals.
In the South American Championship and Copa Colombia, Salazar had no competitors, while in the Ibero-American Championship, she defeated Spanish weightlifter Irene Blanco, who had a best result of 92 kilograms in the snatch and 116 kilograms in the clean and jerk, totaling 208 kilograms in the total Olympic. The Mexican weightlifter finished third with 89 kilograms in the snatch, 115 kilograms in the clean and jerk, and a total of 204 kilograms in the total Olympic.
In the three competitions, Ecuador won 55 gold medals, 45 silver medals, and 23 bronze medals.
Among the participants, Neisi Dajomes, Angie Palacios, Juliana Jiménez, Jennifer Becerra, Angélica Campoverde, Emily Anangonó, Benjamín Zurita, Christian Zurita, Jair Reyes, Neiser Grefa, Wilmer Contreras, and Dixon Arroyo also stood out.
About Salazar's participation, Luis Zambrano, president of the Ecuadorian Weightlifting Federation, highlighted her work and said that the records she set allow her to rank among the best in her division and she is a serious contender to bring many joys to Ecuador. "Tamara Salazar is a possessor of great athletic talent in our sport. She is the highest ranked Ecuadorian in the qualification for the Tokyo Games and is projected to have great chances for the Olympic podium. In this latest competition, she was the weightlifter with the most achievements for Ecuador. As the technical organization, we expect great sporting achievements for the country in the future." (D)