- Li Fabin won the Olympic gold for
weightlifting in the men's 61kg category. - He used an unusual technique where he stood on one leg, which fans have dubbed the "flamingo."
- Fabin lifted nearly three times his body weight, and warned fans not to try it themselves.
Li Fabin won the Olympic gold for weightlifting in the men's 61kg category on Sunday and used a particularly unusual technique to do so. Fabin stood on one leg as he lifted 166kg above his head, which is nearly three times as much as his own body weight.
Fans have named the move the "flamingo lift," but Fabin has warned people not to try it themselves. He said while he knows the move is a crowd-pleaser, he is a "low-profile person."
"I have very strong core strength and muscles," he said, according to the Associated Press. "I know this move pleases the audience but I don't suggest people make the same move. It could provoke injury."
The lift technique is Fabin's specialty, and he has performed it in previous competitions. He said it helps him correct his balance if there is a chance the lift is not going as planned and there's a risk of dropping the weights.
Fabin beat his rival, Indonesia's Eko Yuli Irawan, for the gold by lifting 172kg, although he had both feet on the floor this time. He won with a total of 313kg, while Irawan took silver with a total of 302kg. The bronze medal went to Kazakhstan's Igor Son.