THE CANADIAN PRESS
BEIJING — Jeane Lassen of Whitehorse earned an eighth-place finish Friday in the women’s 75-kilogram weightlifting event at the Beijing Olympics.
Lassen lifted 105 kilograms in the snatch and added a 135-kilogram lift in the clean and jerk for a total of 240 kilograms.
China’s Cao Lei earned the gold with an Olympic-record total of 282 kilograms (128 in snatch, 154 in clean and jerk). Kazakhstan lifter Alla Vazhenina placed second with 266 (119-147) and Nadezda Evstyukhina of Russia was third with 264 (117-147).
Lassen became the first Canadian woman in 17 years to win a medal at the world weightlifting championships, capturing a silver in the clean and jerk and a bronze in the overall 69-kilogram event in 2006.
She has since moved up to the 75-kilogram class.
Lassen also captured gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, recording a Games record in the clean and jerk.
She and cyclist Zach Bell are the lone athletes in Beijing from the Yukon.
Her mother Moira is in Beijing as a weightlifting official.
