Chinese weightlifter Li Fabin wins Olympic gold after a unique one-legged lift

Ever heard of a one-legged lift in weightlifting? Wait what did we just say? Lifting more than 100kgs of weight with one leg. Weightlifting requires you to be balanced and use your entire strength to lift and this dramatic trick might even injure your leg. You must be thinking that we have gone crazy talking about a one-legged lift. We thought the same when we heard about it.

But China's Li Fabin has made it possible at the Tokyo Olympics with his unconventional fashion of weightlifting leading him to win the Olympics gold. Now known as the 'flamingo' lift amongst the fans, Li's argument is to do this trick to correct his balance. Using this posture, he is subtly able to balance his weights and is able to perform better.

You must be wondering that's a unique way to look at this but what's more fascinating is that he lifted 166kg (366lbs) - which was nearly three times his body weight - sticking his right leg out in the men's 61 kg category while attempting the clean and jerk lift. A special feature of Li, which helps him in times when the lift goes wrong. Stating about his quality of doing this "flamingo" move, he says,

At the same time, he warned the audience not to repeat the stunt at home cautioning them, "I don't suggest people make the same move. It could provoke injury."

Most people call it an attention-grabbing stunt which could be dangerous for him but Fabin's perspective is to have an unusual talent to correct a lift. He even tried it at the 2017 Asian championships.

The 28-year old star weightlifter won the second gold for China in weightlifting at the Tokyo Olympics with a total lift of 313kg. He also broke two Olympic records in the men's 61kg weightlifting category.

Eko Yuli Irawan from Indonesia gave a tough fight to Li but failed to convert his performance to earn a gold medal. Irawan had to satisfy with a silver with a total lift of 302kg.