Sarah Robles Repeats as Weightlifting Bronze Medalist at Tokyo Games

2020 Tokyo Games

It’s a déjà vu of sorts for Sarah Robles

The 33-year-old Mexican American weightlifter has claimed the bronze medal in the women’s +87kg weightlifting competition at the 2020 Tokyo Games, becoming the first U.S. woman to win two Olympic medals in weightlifting.

Sarah Robles

Robles, known as “the strongest woman in America,” previously won the bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Games, ending a 16-year medal drought in weightlifting at that Olympics.

Robles began the competition in the over-87 kilograms class at the Tokyo International Forum by successfully making all three of her lifts in the clean and jerk. Her final lift of 128 kilograms tied the American record set in 2003 by Olympic medalist Cheryl Haworth.

Sarah Robles

Robles lifted 154 kilograms on her second attempt in the clean and jerk to give her at total of 282 kilograms. She was unsuccessful in her final attempt at 157 kilograms.

Li Wenwen of China won the gold medal with an Olympic-record total of 320 kilograms. Emily Campbell of Great Britain won the silver medal with a total of 283 kilograms, one more than Robles.

Sarah Robles

Robles’ medal came one day after her 33rd birthday. She is the oldest U.S. women’s weightlifter to medal at the Olympic Games and the second-oldest U.S. woman to compete in weightlifting at the Olympics.

Robles Wins Bronze Medal in Weightlifting at the 2016 Rio Games

2016 Rio Games

Sarah Robles has ended an American drought at the Olympics

The 28-year-old Mexican American weightlifter, known as “the strongest woman in America,” won the United States’ first weightlifting medal in 16 years on Sunday with a bronze in the women’s over-75-kilogram category.

Sarah Robles

China’s Meng Suping won gold with 130 kilograms in the snatch and 177 in the clean and jerk for a total of 307, one more than second-placed Kim Kuk Hyang of North Korea.

Robles lifted 286 total, with 126 in the snatch and 160 in the clean and jerk.

Sarah Robles

After making her final lift, Robles sank onto her knees and gave a roar of delight before blowing a kiss to the crowd.

The last U.S. medal winners in weightlifting were Tara Nott and Cheryl Haworth when the women’s events debuted in 2000.

The last U.S. men’s medals were in 1984.