Babalwa: Close, but no cigar

So close, yet so far. Commonwealth Games weighlifting medallist Babalwa Ndeleni ( we did a feature of her in Your Sport magazine some time ago, download the article here and here) improved on her personal best today, but still a medal evaded her. The reason, according to her coach, Avenaash Pandoo, is a question of tactics. I won't bore those non-weightlifter types among you with the detail but it basically comes down to the weight a competitor starts off with (they have three lifts); the order of the competitors; and a strategic edge. The bottom line is, it's not that she was performing less well, theoretically she's still worth a medal.

Here's Babalwa, doing her second lift:

 

 

Let me lift this weight onto my shoulders...

 Ups-a-daisy...

...and up...

\

...almost there...

Done!