Commonwealth Games: Perth’s Oliver Saxton wins bronze to complete family legacy
Oliver ‘Ollie’ Saxton has lifted his way to a Commonwealth Games bronze and fulfilled a family legacy.
Oliver ‘Ollie’ Saxton has lifted his way to a Commonwealth Games bronze and fulfilled a family legacy.
Son of five-time Commonwealth Games medallist, Andrew Saxton, the Perth weightlifter added his own hardware to the family trophy cabinet.
The 23-year-old displayed incredible feats of human strength during his debut games, lifting a total of 336kg.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Competing in the 94kg category, Saxton set himself up nicely on with an opening snatch lift of 150kg.
Refusing to be outdone after Canada’s Alex Bellemarre opened with 155kg, Saxton went one better snatching 156kg.
A Commonwealth record holder of 161kg, the WA-raised athlete out of Ox Weightlifting Club attempted to steal the Games record with 160kg, but could not clear the weight on stage.
It took a 180kg in the clean and jerk to secure Saxton a medal, with a stunning total 336kg.
Saxton looked likely for the silver until Malaysia’s Mohamad Syhaimi Bin Nor-Ghazali stunned the crowd and commentators by pulling out a Commonwealth Games record 197kg jerk. Taking gold out of Bellemarre’s grasp.
The medal sees Saxton’s debut finish on the podium 40-years after his father’s Commonwealth career began in the same country, at the 1986 Edinburgh games.
It is Australia’s second weightlifting medal in Glasgow, following Nya Hayman’s bronze medal effort in the women’s 69kg class.
