Arley Calderon

Havana, Dec. 8 (ACN) Cuban weightlifter Arley Calderon starred in a discreet performance in the 61-kilogram (kg) division of the World Weightlifting Championship, which is taking place in Manama, the capital of Bahrain.

The main male weightlifting figure in Cuba gave up on the first event of the Arabian Night. He could only master the initial weight of 116 kg in the snatch technique and failed two attempts with 121 kg, a performance that placed him momentarily in the twelfth place. 

The unlucky start for the native of Pinar del Rio continued in the rebounding test when he failed, on three occasions, the load of 158 kg, so he could not register weight in the total weight competition.

Arley is the only representative of the Americas participating in the 61 kg division of the World Weightlifting Championship. 

The event, which gathered the strongest 61 kg men in the world, awarded two gold medals to Malaysia's Bin Mohamed in the repulsion (166 kg) and in the total (296 kg), while Vietnam's Tran Nguyen won the gold medal in the snatch (131 kg). 

Arley was very close to qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where the top 10 of the world ranking were registered, being the 25-year-old the eleventh on the list.

Calderon's best marks came at the Abu Dhabi 2023 World Cup when he lifted 126 kg in the snatch, 165 kg in the deadlift, and a total of 291, which earned him tenth place.

Cuba's representation in Bahrain concludes with young Marifélix Sarría, who makes her debut next Sunday, December 15. 

Sarría, born in the central province of Cienfuegos, won three gold medals in the division of over 87 kilograms (kg) for juniors, a tournament held last September in the Spanish city of León.