Watch: Maltese lifter Tenishia Thornton places seventh at IWF Grand Prix

Secures best result in Olympic qualifiers

Tenishia Thornton showcased her strength and ability at the IWF Grand Prix in Qatar, which also served as a qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Despite facing some tough opposition, the Maltese weightlifter produced her best-ever performance in an Olympic qualifier when she lifted a total of 191kg to finish in a remarkable seventh place.

In the snatch event, Thornton opened with a solid 83kg, followed by another successful lift at 86kg.

Although narrowly missing her third attempt at 88kg, she demonstrated resilience heading into the Clean & Jerk phase.

Starting with a successful 101kg, Thornton faced a setback with a failed 105kg attempt on her second try. However, she rebounded impressively, nailing the lift on her third and final attempt.

Thornton’s excellent performance takes further significance when one considers that the Maltese lifter fell unwell three days before the competition.

But the Maltese lifter managed to regroup her energy to come out with a strong performance.

Looking ahead, Thornton is looking to step up her performance in the Olympic Games qualification journey.

Her next challenges include the European Championships in February and the final qualification event – the World Cup in Thailand, scheduled for April.

Thornton’s participation at the IWF Grand Prix in Qatar was made possible through the support of the Maltese Olympic Committee and SportMalta.