Venezuelan weightlifter Genesis Rodriguez Gomez miraculously escaped injury during the women’s 53 kg weightlifting competition in the Pan Am Games on Sunday.
But the unbelievable part is she came back for her third attempt and completed it successfully, winning a medal in the process.
Weightlifters are given three attempts at each lift. Gomez, 20, missed her first attempt at 106 kilograms.
She easily got the bar off the ground during her second attempt at 106 kilograms.
She paused for a few moments to brace herself for the final, most explosive, portion of the lift and jerked the weight over her head. She then quickly collapsed.
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Gomez barely escaped injury as she fainted and fell forward while the barbell, loaded with 106 kilograms, fell backwards.
But that didn’t stop her. She came back for her third attempt and loaded another three kilograms onto the bar, lifted it successfully, and won the silver medal.
Video of the incident circulated widely online in the succeeding days as media organizations around the world hailed Gomez for her perseverance.
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