Ghana lifter claims gold in bizarre fashion

Majeti Fetrie won Ghana's first gold medal of the 18th Commonwealth Games after favourite Yukio Peter crashed out of the men's 77kg weightlifting in spectacular fashion yesterday.

Peter, from the tiny South Pacific island nation of Nauru, was second in last year's world championships and was the highest-ranked lifter in any category competing in Melbourne.

But the Nauruan's world came crashing down when he fell backwards on his very first lift with 140kg on the bar - 10kg heavier than Fetrie - in his first attempt at the snatch.

The bar fell heavily on Peter's shin and his injury was compounded when time for his second lift expired as he received treatment. A shaken Peter failed at his third attempt and was eliminated.

Fetrie, competing in the Games for the first time, lifted 138kg on his third snatch and 171kg on his second clean and jerk for a total of 309kg.