Palestinian wins world title

Mohammad Hamada, a Palestinian weightlifter from the Gaza Strip, has won a gold medal at the IWF Junior World Championships in Greece.

It was a rare international victory for an athlete from the territory of two million people, where world-class training facilities are scarce.

At the Athens event, Hamada, 20, won gold in the 102kg weight class for the snatch lift. He took a bronze medal in total results, which are based on a competitor's best snatch and clean and jerk lifts.

Hamada travelled to the United Arab Emirates in January to prepare for the competition, spending 40 days at a training camp in the Gulf nation. He also trained alongside several world champions at another camp in Russia.

He began his career at the age of 12, taking part in local contests in Gaza.

Last year, Hamada was the first Palestinian weightlifter to take part in the Olympic Games, finishing seventh in Tokyo.

 

Photo file IMEU/Twitter   Caption:  Palestinian weightlifter Mohammad Hamada