KAZAKHSTAN: LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS: Kazakhstan's weightlifting team comes homs to a rapturous welcome

Record ID: 331010

  • Title: KAZAKHSTAN: LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS: Kazakhstan's weightlifting team comes homs to a rapturous welcome
  • Date: 7th August 2012
  • Summary: WOMEN IN NATIONAL COSTUMES WITH FLOWERS PEOPLE WITH FLOWERS OLYMPIC CHAMPION ILYA ILYIN COMING OUT TO GREET CHANTING CROWD, HUGGING PEOPLE, SHOWING OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL ILYIN SHOWING OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL ILYIN TAKING SEAT AT TABLE FOR NEWS CONFERENCE ILYIN SHOWING HIS OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ILYA ILYIN, 2012 OLYMPIC CHAMPION, SAYING: "There were a lot of worries because the first attempt is always very important. Those who know weightlifting, they know it was my first ever attempt at 177 kg. So I was a bit nervous but not too much, because everything had been well-thought through for 100%. So everything was fine, we didn't have any major problems." ILYIN WITH JOURNALISTS ILYING SHOWING OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL BANNER SHOWING ILYIN AT AIRPORT ILYIN IN CROWD OF PEOPLE CROWD OUTSIDE AIRPORT ENTRANCE CHEERING, WAVING KAZAKH FLAGS CAR CARRYING ILYIN DRIVING AWAY
  • Embargoed: 22nd August 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kazakhstan
  • Country: Kazakhstan
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA49UJQWTDC95MDGKHZSDRPWP7I
  • Story Text: Kazakhstan's biggest winner at the London Olympic, weightlifter Ilya Ilyin arrived home in Almaty on Monday (August 6) to a cheering crowd of fans waving Kazakh flags and chanting slogans.
    Ilyin won a gold medal in men's 94 kg middle heavyweight category. The 24-year old three-time world champion lifted a combined score of 418 kg, breaking two world record in the process.
    He was one of the biggest Kazakh hopes for the London Olympic gold, and the local fans were not disappointed. Kazakhstan has already won six gold medals at the 2012 Olympics, with four of them secured by the country's weighlifters.
    Late on Monday night, Ilyin came out to the public impatient to get a glimpse of their hero.

    "Yes, we love our champions, we are glad for them and that our Kazakhstan has won six gold medals. We are all happy," student Arman told Reuters.

    "I think this is the pride of our country. In principle, what he has done is tantamount to a feat and generally he is the strongest person in the world. He has proved that," Ilyin's fan Dmitry Lodoba said.
    Some of the fans made the event a family occasion and weren't afraid of taking their young children to meet the champion.

    "We have great feelings because we are patriots of our country. We are a young family, with wife and a child came here to meet our hero, our heroes. We hope that our son will also become a hero like our Ilya Ilyin. We support our (team), go Kazakhstan!", Almaty resident Akadyl Orynbasarov said.
    Ilyin accepted flowers from girls wearing national Kazakh costumes and made his way through the crowd while holding his gold Olympic medal high.
    At a brief news conference, he told how difficult it was to subdue nervousness during the initial moments of the contest.

    "There were a lot of worries because the first attempt is always very important. Those who know weightlifting, they know it was my first ever attempt at 177 kg. So I was a bit nervous but not too much, because everything had been well-thought through for 100%. So everything was fine, we didn't have any major problems," Ilyin said.
    Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev sent personal telegrams to the country's Olympic winners and many saw how Ilyin picked up a phone and received congratulations from the president straight after his win was declared.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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