Qatar’s Ouisal Ikhlef secured a clean sweep of gold medals in the Women’s +86kg weightlifting final at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, with a total lift of 277kg. The victory marked a significant achievement for the Qatari weightlifter, who dominated the competition at the Boulevard SEF Arena.
Ikhlef’s success was built on her impressive performance in the clean & jerk, where she cleared 146kg, 151kg, and 160kg in her three attempts, gaining a 10-kilogram cushion over her closest rival. Her overall total of 277kg was enough to secure the gold medals in Snatch, Clean & Jerk, and the overall title.
Weightlifting Dominance
Ikhlef’s dominance in the Women’s +86kg weightlifting final was evident in her clean & jerk performance, where she outlifted Kazakhstan’s Lyubov Kovalchuk by 10kg. Kovalchuk took silver with a lift of 150kg, while Uzbekistan’s Tursunoy Jabborova earned bronze at 138kg. Ikhlef’s success in the snatch was also notable, as she lifted 117kg on her opening attempt, securing the gold medal in the process.
Ikhlef dedicated her medals to Qatar, thanking the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and the Qatar Weightlifting Federation for their support. “The competition was very tough, but good preparation and determination were behind this success,” she said, according to reports. QOC First Vice President Mohammed bin Yousef Al-Mana praised Ikhlef’s “historic achievement,” calling it a sign of the sport’s progress in the country.
Qatar’s Medal Tally
Ikhlef’s triple gold achievement lifted Qatar’s medal tally to four, moving the country up to ninth in the overall standings. The Qatari delegation celebrated Ikhlef’s victory at the Athletes’ Village, with Al-Mana and Deputy Director of the Qatari Delegation Khalifa Jaber Al Nuaimi in attendance. Qatar’s other medal came courtesy of swimmer Ali Tamer, who claimed silver in the men’s 100-meter freestyle on Tuesday.
Qatar’s volleyball team will look to add to the tally today, as they face Bahrain in the bronze medal match at the Boulevard SEF Arena. The team lost to Bahrain 1-3 in their final round-robin match yesterday, concluding the stage in fourth position. Meanwhile, Qatar riders impressed in the show jumping competition, with Sheikh Ali bin Khalid Al Thani and Mohammed Khalifa Al Baker advancing to Round 2 after faultless first rounds.
The Qatari table tennis team’s men’s doubles campaign came to an end in the quarter-finals, as Mohamed Abdelwahab and Abdullah Abdelwahab fell to Algeria’s Milan Djellouli and Mohieddine Bella in straight games. The outcome of today’s bronze medal match will be closely watched, as Qatar looks to continue its medal-winning streak. As the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games continue, the Qatari delegation will be looking to build on their current success.
