Palestinian weightlifter

Palestinian wins world title

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.