Weightlifter Fares El-Bakh wins Qatar's first Olympic gold

Gold medalist Fares El-Bakh of Qatar, (centre) flanked by silver medalist Keydomar Giovan Vallenilla Sanchez of Venezuela (left) and bronze medalist Anton Pliesnoi of Georgia. AP

Weightlifter Fares El-Bakh shattered two Games records in Tokyo as he became Qatar's first Olympic champion in history on Saturday.

The 2019 world silver medallist dominated the men's 96kg, setting new marks for the clean and jerk (225kg) and total lift (402kg).

“I'm very honoured to have won a gold medal during these Olympics,” said El-Bakh, 23. “I hope that my performance was all right during these Games.”

Venezuela's Keydomar Sanchez took silver with Anton Pliesnoi finishing third. El-Bakh attempted but failed a world-record 232 on his final lift.

El-Bakh won Qatar's sixth Olympic medal and second in weightlifting, after Saif Asaad's 105kg bronze at Sydney 2000.