Óscar Figueroa (weightlifter)

Oscar Albeiro Figueroa Mosquera (born 27 April 1983) is a Colombian weightlifter, and Olympic Champion competing in the 62 kg category until 2018 and 67 kg starting in 2018 after the International Weightlifting Federation reorganized the categories.[1] He was born in Zaragoza, Cartago Valle del Cauca.[2]

Óscar Figueroa

Oscar Figueroa with the silver medal won at the 2012 Olympics
Personal information
Full name	Oscar Albeiro Figueroa Mosquera
Nationality	Colombian
Born	April 27, 1983 Zaragoza, Colombia
Education	Administration Studies
Alma mater	University Santiago de Cali
Height	1.61 m (5 ft 3 in)
Weight	66.20 kg (145.9 lb)
Sport
Country	Colombia
Sport	Olympic weightlifting
Event(s)	–67 kg
Coached by	Jaiber Manjarres, Oswaldo Pinilla
Achievements and titles
World finals	2006 Santo Domingo 2007 Chiang Mai 2009 Goyang 2011 Paris 2013 Wrocław 2014 Almaty 2015 Houston 2018 Ashgabat
Olympic finals	Athens 2004 Beijing 2008 London 2012 Rio 2016
Personal best(s)	Total: 318 kg
Medal record Representing  Colombia Olympic Games 2016 Rio de Janeiro –62 kg 2012 London –62 kg World Championships 2006 Santo Domingo –62 kg 2013 Wrocław –62 kg 2015 Houston –62 kg Pan American Games 2011 Gualadajara –62 kg 2015 Toronto –62 kg Pan American Championships 2008 Callao – 62 kg Central American and Caribbean Games 2006 Cartagena – 62 kg

He initially retired from the sport after the 2016 Summer Olympics, but has returned to international competition[3] and has competed at the 2018 World Weightlifting Championships.[4]

Career

Figueroa lifting an Olympic Record 177 kg at the 2012 Olympics

Olympics

At the 2004 Summer Olympics he ranked 5th in the snatch as well as the clean & jerk in the 56 kg category, lifting a total of 280 kg,[5] and finished 5th overall.

In the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics, Figueroa failed to make a lift in the snatch category, he was unable to lift the bar from the floor in all three attempts. After the competition, it was discovered that he had a c6/7 cervical hernia which weakened his right hand.[6][7] He left the Olympics without posting a result and had surgery to correct the hernia.[8]

In his return to the Olympics after his injury, he placed 3rd after the snatch portion of the competition with a lift of 140 kg. After failing to make his first two lifts in the clean & jerk portion, he successfully completed an Olympic Record lift of 177 kg. This gave him a total of 317 kg; bronze medalist Eko Yuli Irawan also had the same total, but Figueroa had a lighter body weight (61.76 kg vs 61.98 kg) and won the silver medal.[9][10]

Earlier in 2016 Figueroa had surgery to repair his chronic back pain caused by a lumbar hernia,[11] and returned to the Olympics hoping to win gold. On August 8, 2016, Figueroa finally won gold in the 62 kg division with a total of 318 kg. After attempting and failing to lift 179 kg to set a new Olympic Record, Figueroa took off his shoes and placed them on the platform, signaling his immediate retirement from the sport.[12]

World Championships

Figueroa participated in the men's -62 kg class at the 2006 World Weightlifting Championships and won the silver medal, finishing behind Qiu Le. He snatched 137 kg and jerked an additional 160 kg for a total of 297 kg, 11 kg behind winner Qiu.[13]

He ranked 4th in the 62 kg category at the 2007 World Weightlifting Championships.

Retirement

On November 26th, Oscar Figueroa announced his retirement.

Major results

Year	Venue	Weight	Snatch (kg)				Clean & Jerk (kg)				Total	Rank
			1	2	3	Rank	1	2	3	Rank
Representing  Colombia
Olympic Games
2004	Athens, Greece	56 kg	120.0	125.0	127.5	5	145.0	150.0	155.0	5	280.0	5
2008	Beijing, China	62 kg	128	128	128	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2012	London, Great Britain	62 kg	137	140	142	3	177	177	177	1	317
2016	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	62 kg	137	142	145	1	172	176	179	1	318
World Championships
2006	Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic	62 kg	132	137	141		160	164	164	5	297
2007	Chiang Mai, Thailand	62 kg	135	140	140	6	160	160	165	8	295	4
2009	Goyang, South Korea	62 kg	135	139	141	4	165	165	168	5	307	4
2011	Paris, France	62 kg	135	138	140	6	170	170	175	4	308	4
2013	Wroclaw, Poland	62 kg	135	139	141		175	177	183		316
2014	Almaty, Kazakhstan	62 kg	135	135	135	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2015	Houston, United States	62 kg	135	140	140		175	180	180		315
2018	Ashgabat, Turkmenistan	67 kg	140	145	145	8	176	178	181		318	5
2019	Pattaya, Thailand	67 kg	137	140	140	17	176	181	181	5	313	10
Pan American Games
2011	Guadalajara, Mexico	62 kg	132	135	137	1	165	171	175	1	312
2015	Toronto, Canada	62 kg	130	130	135	2	170	175	—	1	310

References

1. PDF listing of 2018 Group A world championship entrants in 67 kg
2. "OSCAR ALBEYRO FIGUEROA MOSQUERA" (PDF) (in Spanish). Comité Olímpico Colombiano.
3. IWF.net. "Who will be dominant in Santo Domingo?". Retrieved 18 December 2018.
4. CaracolTV. "¿En qué andan por estos días los medallistas olímpicos Óscar Figueroa y Leidy Solís?". Retrieved 18 December 2018.
5. "FIGUEROA Oa". International Weightlifting Federation.
6. "China extended its perfect record". The Associated Press. 2008-08-11. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
7. Olympic Channel. "The Oscar Figueroa Story". Retrieved 18 December 2018.
8. BarBend. "Oscar Figueroa". Retrieved 18 December 2018.
9. "62kg men results - Weightlifting - London 2012 Olympics". www.olympic.org. Retrieved 2015-06-07.
10. "Weightlifting at the 2012 London Summer Games: Men's Featherweight". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 2020-04-18. Retrieved 2015-06-07.
11. Yahoo. "Colombian weightlifter Figueroa strikes Olympic gold, retires". Retrieved 18 December 2018.
12. "Weightlifting recap: Oscar Figueroa wins gold, retires". Retrieved 2016-08-08.
13. 75th MEN'S and 18th WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS -62 KG MEN, iwf.net

External links

• Athlete Biography FIGUEROA Oscar at beijing2008