A much-needed lift
Nahla Ramadan revived Egypt's glory days in weightlifting with a stunning international performance. Inas Mazhar reports
True, it was an under-21 tournament but an accomplishment of world proportions all the same. At the world junior weightlifting Grand Prix championship in Budapest last week, Nahla Ramadan became the game's top- ranked athlete after collecting three gold medals and breaking two world records in the process, an unprecedented accomplishment for an Egyptian of any sex in the sport.
The 18-year-old Ramadan set a new world record of 145kg in the jerk, two kilogrammes more than that of Bulgaria's Krenz Geuiguny. Ramadan's second world record was in the total number of kilogrammes lifted: 260kg, again at Geuiguny's expense and her previous record of 255kg. In the snatch, Ramadan heaved 115kg to clinch her third gold medal but this time failed to break the world record. She picked up $3,500 in prize money for her efforts.
"I can't express how I feel," Ramadan said afterwards. "I'm really happy because people appreciate what I did and I feel it all around me. I knew I could do it since it wasn't my first international achievement. But it is certainly my greatest."
Ramadan, who works in the 75kg category, outclassed everybody, including her compatriots: Mohamed Tantawi in the 69kg weight class and Moussa El-Deib in the 94kg.
Not surprising, Ramadan was born into a family of weightlifters. Father Mohamed was a national weightlifting champion and later head coach of the Alexandria weightlifting zone. Her elder sister Nagham made headlines of her own on the international scene, albeit her feats were nothing comparable to that of Nahla's.
Ramadan is no stranger to winning. She collected two silver medals and a bronze in the world championships in the Czech Republic last year and two bronze medals in this year's world championships in Poland.
"We are very proud of Nahla and her accomplishments," said Mahmoud Shukri, president of the Egyptian Weightlifting Federation. "With her we regained our lost pride in weightlifting. We used to dominate the Olympics and world championships more than half a century ago. Thanks to her, finally we can dream of gold medals at the Olympic Games in Athens next year. We'll start preparing Nahla right away. The minister is supporting her as are all the officials."
A student at the Cleopatra Experimental School in Alexandria, Ramadan was first spotted by the Bulgarian Yurden Ivanov, the former world and Olympic champion who was selected as head coach of all Egyptian national teams in May last year. Ivanov canvassed the country in a bid to select the most promising athletes and was quickly impressed with Ramadan. He predicted -- and correctly in hindsight -- that she would become a world champion.
After she was feted by the Minister of Youth Aliyeddin Hilal upon her return, Ramadan joined junior male and female weightlifters in some intensive training in Ras Al-Bar under the supervision of Ivanov in preparation for the world weightlifting junior championship to take place in Mexico starting tomorrow up until 10 June. More than 300 athletes representing 50 countries will take part in the 12- day event. The Egyptian delegation will comprise 20 athletes -- nine females and 11 males.
In Mexico, Ramadan aims to add to her three world gold medals. "The world championships are more prestigious and tougher. There will be the same competitors but I hope to do the same thing again and even improve on my world records. I'm looking forward to it. It will give me a push for the Olympic Games." Not to mention a lift as well.
