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Thursday, 1 August, 2002, 13:30 GMT 14:30 UK
Morgan's silver lining
Wales weightlifter Dave Morgan was delighted to add three silver medals to his impressive Commonwealth Games tally at the conclusion of the men's 77kg final on Thursday.
Morgan was appearing in his sixth Games and started by producing a lift of 145kg to win the silver medal in the snatch, behind defending combined champion Damian Brown of Australia.
Then the 37-year-old Morgan claimed another silver in the clean-and-jerk with an effort of 160kg, leaving him in second place overall on 305 to earn a third silver after Brown self-destructed.
India's Satheesha Rai won the men's 77kg overall title after taking bronze in the snatch and gold in the clean-and-jerk at Manchester's International Convention Centre.
"I didn't expect three silvers," Morgan said. "I was just expecting a medal in the snatch.
"I didn't exceed expectations with the weights I lifted, but I think three silvers did.
"I'm not disappointed with anything and I wanted to be the first athlete to get a medal in six different Commonwealth Games appearances."
Morgan has now won at least one medal in every Games he has appeared in, starting with gold at the age of 17 at the 1982 Games in Brisbane.
Another gold followed in Edinburgh 1986, three more in Auckland 1990, two further golds and a silver in Victoria 1994, then a silver four years later in Kuala Lumpur.
Brown's defence of the title he won in Malaysia seemed on course after gold in the snatch in Manchester, but he then chose to enter the clean-and-jerk late at 175kgs.
The Australian failed twice at that weight then upped the bar to 177.5kgs for his final lift as he sought to pressure his rivals only to fail again, falling out of the medals for the discipline and overall.
That left Nauru's 19-year-old Renos Doweiya in third overall and in the clean-and-jerk.
Morgan's brother, Tony - who is also based in Cambridge - finished sixth overall after being placed ninth in the snatch and sixth in the clean-and-jerk.
The result caps an impressive two days for Wales in the weightlifting after Michaela Breeze took a gold and two silvers on Wednesday in the women's 58kg category.
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