Hampton Morris has made history for USA Weightlifting by winning a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, marking a significant milestone as the first American man to earn an Olympic weightlifting medal since 1984. At just 20 years old, Morris ended a 40-year drought for male lifters in this prestigious sport.
During the competition, Morris started with the snatch, successfully lifting 126kg on his last attempt after a technical issue caused him to miss his second lift. This placed him in fifth position heading into the clean and jerk segment, which ultimately determined the medal winners. A fierce battle ensued among Morris, Tokyo 2020 gold medalist Li Fabin of China, and Theerapong Silachai from Thailand.
Fabin stumbled initially, failing his first clean attempt but managed to lift 167kg on his second try. Morris then attempted 168kg but slipped, missing the jerk. Undeterred, he increased his next lift to 172kg and succeeded, securing the bronze.
Fabin failed to make 172kg on his final attempt but still achieved enough to claim gold. Morris aimed for a world record with an attempt at 178kg, though he couldn’t stabilize the weight. Nevertheless, he celebrated his hard-earned bronze medal with his father, who also serves as his coach.
Silachai clinched the silver medal, completing all six of his lifts successfully. If Morris continues on this upward trajectory, Team USA could soon witness its first Olympic gold in weightlifting since Chuck Vinci’s victory in 1960.
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