Middleweight (≤63 kilograms), Women

Ukrainian Nataliya Skakun was the 2003 World Champion and was expected to fight out the gold against Belarussian Anna Batyushko, bronze medalist behind Skakun at the 2003 Worlds. China’s Liu Xia, the world record holder, 2003 World runner-up, and 2002 World Champion, would have been a contender but because nations could only enter four women in the seven weightlifting classes, they elected to skip this class, which had only nine competitors. In Liu’s absence Skakun and Batyushko were well ahead of the other seven lifters. Batyushko opened with a world record 115.0 kg in the snatch, giving her a 7.5 kg lead on Skakun, but Skakun came back with 135.0 kg in the clean & jerk. They tied on total with 242.5 kg, but Skakun won the gold medal on lower bodyweight. Bronze went to Batyushko’s teammate Tatyana Stukalova.