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The Cuban Marifélix Sarría won three silver medals this Saturday at the World Weightlifting Championship in Forde, Norway.
The 20-year-old from Cienfuegos successfully lifted 118 kg in the clean and jerk during her third and final attempt in the +86 kg category, and in the snatch, she mastered 157 kg on her second try, reported Cubadebate.
The gold medal in the snatch went to South Korea's Hyejeong Park (125 kg), while the bronze went to China's Linhan Zhu (116 kg).
In the clean and jerk, the Korean Park also claimed the title with 158 kg, while third place went to the American Mary Theisen Lappen (154 kg).
In this way, Park dominated the total Olympic weight with 283 kg, followed by Sarría Ruiz with 275 kg and Lappen with 269 kg.
“The strategy we employed was to secure the first test, because that meant the medal in the overall total,” explained Camilo Reinaldo Ramírez, national commissioner of the discipline.
“When the British and the American failed, we made an attempt at 165 kg in search of gold. Marifélix lifted the weight, but after making two pushes, the lift was deemed invalid,” he added.
In this way, Sarría achieved the best result for a Cuban weightlifter in world championships, surpassing Ludia Montero, who won two silver medals at the Pattaya, Thailand world championship in 2019
Montero achieved a commendable sixth place in the 49 kg division after three years away from competition.
In July, Sarría made history in the over 86 kilograms division of the Pan American Weightlifting Championship Cali 2025, winning two gold medals, one silver medal, and setting a couple of continental records.
In the snatch event, she lifted 112, 116, and 118 kilograms, securing the silver medal, surpassed only by the Dominican Crismery Santana (119 kg). The bronze went to American Mary Theinsen-Lappen (117 kg).
In the clean and jerk, Sarría unleashed his full power with lifts of 154, 157, and 162 kilograms, a performance that awarded him the Pan American title and set a new continental record. Completing the podium were American Theinsen-Lappen (161 kg) and Brazilian Taiane Justino (151 kg).
The total of his lifts (280 kg) earned him the crown in the biathlon, another continental record, ahead of Theinsen-Lappen (278 kg) and Venezuelan Naryury Pérez (265 kg).
His doping case
In April 2024, the Audience Panel of Centro Caribe Sports lifted the provisional suspension for doping of Cuban weightlifter Marifélix Sarría.
The suspension had been imposed in August due to a violation of the rules, after a urine sample taken during the XXIV Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador 2023 tested positive for the substance Boldenone and its metabolites.
This substance is prohibited according to the World Anti-Doping Agency's List of Prohibited Substances and Methods.
Sarría, who had won a gold medal in the over 87 kg division, was stripped of the medal earned at the San Salvador 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games for testing positive in doping tests.
However, after a thorough investigation, the Panel determined that although Sarría Ruiz had committed a violation, no culpability or negligence was found on his part. Therefore, no period of ineligibility will be imposed on him.
The defense of the young athlete argued that the presence of the substance in her system was due to the consumption of contaminated meat prior to her participation in the competition.
Frequently asked questions about Marifélix Sarría and her performance in the World Weightlifting Championships
How many medals did Marifélix Sarría win at the 2025 Weightlifting World Championship?
Marifélix Sarría won three silver medals at the World Weightlifting Championship in Forde, Norway, in the categories of snatch, clean and jerk, and total.
What was Marifélix Sarría's most notable result in a Weightlifting World Championship?
The performance of Marifélix Sarría at the 2025 Weightlifting World Championship is regarded as the best result by a Cuban weightlifter in world championships, surpassing Ludia Montero, who had won two silver medals at the Pattaya World Championship in 2019.
What was the reason for the provisional suspension for doping of Marifélix Sarría?
Marifélix Sarría was provisionally suspended for doping due to a positive test for Boldenone during the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador. However, the suspension was lifted after it was determined that the substance was due to the consumption of contaminated meat and there was no fault or negligence on her part.
What continental records did Marifélix Sarría set at the 2025 Pan American Weightlifting Championships?
In the 2025 Pan American Weightlifting Championship, Marifélix Sarría set continental records in clean and jerk and total, lifting 162 kg in clean and jerk and achieving a total of 280 kg in total.
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